Take Me Down to the Fighting End
by lil Miss Peppers
Summary: "I don't care about the scars, Daryl. I want the man underneath them." Daryl didn't get it. He still didn't understand why she was trying as hard as she was to make things work between them. This whole feeling of being needed by someone else was still new to him, but Daryl was beginning to absorb it as if it was something he was always missing and only ever wanted. Daryl/OC
1. Chapter 1

**First story posting. I've been wanting to write a Walking Dead fanfic for a while now, and thought I'd start. I am literally writing this as I go so I might be as surprised as you are at how this story progresses. I'm rating this as Mature for future chapters. This story takes place at the end of Season 2. Anyway, I hope you enjoy! Reviews are welcomed along with suggestions. :)**

**I do not take credit for any of the characters with the exception of Elena Lima and Toni Galvin.**

* * *

Elena walked in silence and shuffled through the leaves and weeds, stepping over fallen branches and protruding roots. She adjusted the rifle around her shoulder and gazed forward toward Toni. Neither of them had said a word for hours as they walked through the forest, both exhausted and hungry.

And mourning.

Elena had to force down the bile that came up her throat, the rage of emotion threatening to swallow her up again. How long was it? Five? Seven days since it happened? She wasn't sure.

Elena stopped and leaned against a tree, feeling the hunger weigh down her motivation again. "Toni," she said weakly. "...Please, we need to rest."

Toni looked over to her, his shotgun lowered. His face had been vacant with emotion for so long, Elena couldn't remember what his smile even looked like anymore.

"Five minutes, then we keep moving."

She took in a deep breath and let herself collapse on the cold ground, bringing her knees to her chest.

She wish she knew what was going on in his head. Where were they going? What were they going to do now that they were out of food and the nights were getting colder? Elena rubbed her hands together and looked down. Dried blood stained her fingers and were buried under her nails. Her mind wandered as she felt an ache in her chest and her head begin to throb.

Toni then stood in front of her. "Let's go." He jerked his head to the direction they were walking.

Elena abruptly came back to reality and tried to stand up but suddenly wavered, her vision becoming dizzy. She grabbed for the tree to steady her balance. The dehydration was getting to her.

"Here."

Elena opened her eyes, Toni holding a bottle of water in front of her. There was only a quarter left in it.

She shook her head. "That's the last we have. I'm okay, I don't need it."

"Take it," he replied rather impatiently. "If you faint I'm not dragging your ass around."

Elena stared at him. It was the first real emotion he had shown to her in the past few days, even if it was unfavourably angry. She didn't want to argue with him and took it, uncapping the bottle. As soon as the water touched her lips, her self control broke and she chugged what little was in there.

Toni turned away from her and continued walking.

She dropped the bottle from her lips, surprised at how the desperation of sustenance had consumed her. Capping the empty bottle, she shoved it in her duffel bag for future use, if there was ever a chance they found more.

She jogged after Toni to catch up with him before he left her view. Her headache was still there, but less evident. She tried not to think about how much her stomach was growling, and when was the last she ate anything. Two days ago? Did that ripe banana in the bottom of her bag count the morning before?

_Honk_.

Both her and Toni froze at the sound that echoed from the distance. Elena half expected to be hallucinating now from malnutrition, but seeing as Toni had stopped also, she knew otherwise.

"Toni, that was..." She trailed off, the verge of excitement enveloped her.

It had to be a car. And there had to be people driving it. People that were alive. People that could help them.

Her mind stopped at mid thought. The last time they found others that were alive, nothing good came out of it. Besides Toni and her.

Toni started heading to that direction in a fast pace, surprising Elena However, she didn't say a word and followed close behind, worried he might change his mind and turn away from what could be the only hope they had.

Her movements were slow, her body threatening to shut down. How long have they been walking since they heard the horn from a car? The most they discovered was the road that broke through the forest and were now following it down the path. It became apparent now that Toni wasn't following the sound to find other possible survivors, but rather looking for the road.

"Toni...those could have been people. Maybe they have food-"

Toni shot her an angry look. "Remember the last time we went to people for help?" She didn't answer him. "Do you?!"

Elena bit her lip, tears stinging her eyes. "...Toni, we're desperate."

"Shut up and keep moving."

Having no choice, she did and chose to just stay quiet until she heard movement coming at her side. Her breathing hitched as she spotted a man fumbling over toward her, his hands raised and half his face gone. He hissed at her as he came closer.

"Elena!" Toni raised his shotgun toward the man.

Elena backed up and raised the crowbar in her hand, looking over at Toni momentarily when her heart stopped. "Behind you!"

Toni turned at the last second, when a woman reached out to him, her teeth snapping. He fell backward, his head hitting the pavement hard. The woman fell on top of him. Toni held the shotgun his hand, using it as a shield.

Elena ducked just when the man swiped at her, and threw the crowbar into his head. When the man collapsed she went down with him. She looked back at Toni quickly and held the crowbar tightly, trying to retrieve it out of the man's skull. She was thrown back when the crowbar slid out, some blood squirting on her. She scrambled up on her feet quickly and with a cry swung the bloodied crowbar into the woman's head. The woman went limp on him, making him grunt from the extra weight.

"Toni? Toni?" Elena began pulling the dead weight of the woman off and looked over him for any bites. She looked into his face, his eyes half closed. She saw a smear of blood on the road beneath him and reached for the back of his head. "Shit."

She grabbed his shotgun and threw it over her shoulder alongside her rifle. Grabbing his arm, she wrapped it around her neck and tried to pull him up. She fell back on her knees at the first try, feeling how much the lack of food had an effect on her. She tried again and was able to get on her feet, half dragging him. Without thinking, she began walking, worried there were more of those things in the forest. She didn't know where she was going or what she was hoping for, she just kept moving.

* * *

"What was that?" Beth whispered when they heard a strange noise.

Daryl stood from his seat by the fire. "Could be anythin'." The group stood with him, now on the alert. "Could be a raccoon. Could be a possum."

"A walker?" Glenn inquired. No one answered.

"We need to leave," Carol said, growing panicked. "I mean what are we waiting for?"

"Which way?" Glenn whispered.

"It came from over there," Maggie answered.

"Back to where we came," said Beth.

"Yeah."

The group looked in the direction of the road. Rick glanced back at them, standing his ground.

"The last thing we need is for everyone to be runnin' off in the dark. We don't have the vehicles. No one is travelling on foot," Rick said, his voice cold and his expression hard. He turned when another noise sounded.

"Don't panic," Hershel whispered.

Maggie looked toward her father. "I'm not...I'm not sittin' here and waitin' fer another herd to blow through." She turned toward Rick, holding the shotgun tightly in her hand. "We need to move _now_."

Rick grew impatient and gave her a heavy glare. "No one is goin' anywhere."

Maggie stared at him in desperation but said nothing, her eyes wide with fear.

Carol was looking at Rick. "Do something."

He turned on her fast. "I am doing something!" He gestured his revolver to the ground. "I'm keeping this group together. Alive. I've been doing that all along. No matter what." He shot his eyes back to the group. "I didn't ask for this! I killed my best friend for you people for christ sakes!"

Carl stared at his father with surprise as Lori held him, stroking his hair. No one said anything.

"You saw what he was like. How he pushed me. How he compromised us. How he threatened us." Again, no one said a word and Rick continued. "He staged the whole Randal thing, led me out to put a bullet in my back. He gave me no choice! He was my friend but he came after _me_."

Carl began crying, wrapping his arms around his mother for support, sobbing in her chest.

"_My_ hands are _clean_."

It was silent as he dragged his eyes toward the faces of the men and women that stood in front of him. He looked up at T-Dog, perched up on a wall, but he wouldn't meet his gaze.

"Maybe you people are better off without me. Go Ahead." He gestured to the road behind him. "I say there's a place for us but maybe-maybe it's another pipe dream maybe...maybe I fooled myself again. Why don't you go and find out yourself. Send me a postcard!"

Daryl watched him carefully, then back to the others.

"Go ahead, there's the door. You can do better? Let's see how far you get." Rick waited. "No takers? Fine. But get one thing straight. You're stayin'. This isn't a democracy anymore." He stared them down, switching his gaze to his wife, Lori, who looked at him as if he were a stranger.

Each member of the group kept there composure but no one dared speak out and that was enough for Rick to know the discussion was over. He slowly turned, walking away from the camp.

Like it or not, he was the leader. He was the only one who would step up to the authority to lead this group to safety where ever they can find it. He was sick and tired of the stares he got, questioning his call, whether it was the right one or not. The pressure was enough to make him snap. If they didn't agree with him then they can go off and handle surviving their own way. He didn't care anymore.

He stepped out on the road, looking beyond when he spotted something.

"Walker!" T-Dog warned.

Rick heard fast footsteps behind him as Glenn, Daryl and Hershel reached his side. Daryl lifted his crossbow and began approaching the figure out in the darkness. Rick began walking too, his revolver ready in his hand. He didn't want to use it though, not in the night. He couldn't risk the sound attracting more walkers.

The figure was walking toward them but there was something odd about it. It was dragging something. Something big.

"Wait," Rick whispered and grabbed Daryl's shoulder.

Daryl looked at him in confusion, but hovered his finger away from the trigger.

"Help!"

It was the voice of a woman, her voice not nearly a shout but loud enough so the men could hear from the distance.

The figure then fell.

Rick and Daryl began jogging forward, Glenn and Hershel close behind. The closer they got, the more they could see that it was a woman and a man.

Elena tried to get back up, but Toni's weight was too much for her. He was limp, and unconscious. She looked toward the four men that approached her, seeing two of them with their weapons raised at her as they approached.

She lifted her free hand in surrender. "Don't shoot! We're not one of them. Please."

"Have you been bit?" She shook her head at the man that was holding a revolver toward her face. "Have you been bit?" he asked more loudly.

"No," she answered verbally this time. "We were attacked. He hit his head...I don't..."

Elena was starting to shake, afraid. What if they were bandits? She didn't know these people. As soon as she had seen the light from the distance, Elena didn't think, just kept moving. Protecting herself from those things was easy enough for her, they were slow and not very smart, but she had to think twice about these men. Toni was unconscious, and she was too weak to fight them if she needed to.

"Please," she pleaded. "We have no food, no water...We have no where to go."

The man with the revolver seemed to falter for a minute.

"Rick," the older man spoke toward the man that had asked her the question. They stared at each other, having a silent conversation.

Elena inhaled, looking over toward the man that aimed a crossbow at her, his eyes narrowed toward Toni. They moved to her, and she felt herself shrink back.

"Rick, maybe...maybe we should help them." An Asian boy wearing a hat stepped in.

The man presumed as Rick looked back toward her. "Take their weapons."

Reluctant for a moment, Elena wasn't sure about giving up the only things she had left to protect her. But what choice did she have?

She pulled the assault rifle and shotgun off her shoulder including her duffel bag and Toni's, setting them in front of her, showing them that she would comply. The man with the crossbow, slowly bent down to retrieve them, his aim never wavering.

Rick and the old man went forward, grabbing Toni from her and supporting him as they began moving. The Asian boy came to Elena's side, and tried to help her up. She took an awkward step forward and found herself leaning hard against him.

"How long have you been out here?" the boy asked.

"I don't know...," she whispered.

* * *

Elena took in the water more greedy than she meant to. To her it was like a gold mine, and for once she felt happy. She was relieved when the men took them to the camp to find there was more with them. Four women, a black man and a little boy. They couldn't be bandits. They were just survivors trying to find a safe haven much like her group before had been.

The women were hospitable toward her. Elena assumed it was because she was a woman as well. People tend to lower there guard on this fact. However, they kept an eye on Toni. Elena didn't blame them. Toni was a big guy and rough looking. But in his unconscious state, he was harmless.

Elena took a breather, pulling the bottle away from her lips. "Thank you."

The younger woman named Maggie nodded to her.

She looked toward Toni who was being looked after by the old man, Hershel. "Is he going to be okay?"

"He might have suffered a mild concussion. And with the malnutrition he needs the rest," Hershel spoke softly.

"When's the last time you two have eaten?" Rick asked.

"Two days, I think," she replied. "We lost a lot of our supplies."

"Walkers attacked you?" The Asian boy, Glenn said.

Elena furrowed her brow in confusion. It was a good name to call those things she had to admit. "No. There was more of us. Seven. Including me and Toni. We were running low on food...came across these men. They had trucks full of supplies. We thought they were rescuers or something. People who were safe..." Elena's voice broke. "They...they killed everyone, stole our stuff. Toni and I were the only ones that got away."

"Bandits," Rick whispered.

"Your boyfriend here is goin' to need stiches. An' we're not exactly equipped with any medicine."

"He's not..." She stopped herself from correcting him, feeling it unnecessary. "My bag," Elena said to Hershel. "I have bandages and antibiotics in there. Enough."

Rick looked toward Daryl. He lifted up her bag, dropping it beside Hershel. Unzipping it, Hershel looked surprised.

"We managed to take some stuff from a pharmacy at one point," she explained. "Look I don't mean to burden you more than I have, but please let us stay the night. Until the morning. Keep our weapons if you need to, just let us stay."

Rick stared at her for a long time. Glenn gazed at him. "Rick..."

"You'll stay 'til the mornin'." And with that he walked away.

* * *

"You're not really considering leaving them here, are you?" Glenn asked Rick.

Rick only had a couple of hours of sleep and rubbed at his eyes, avoiding the morning sun. He couldn't remember when was the last time he had a decent nights rest. "What room do we have for them? Two new mouths to feed and what not." However, he didn't feel convinced of his own words either.

"They won't be able to survive out there!"

"He's right," Daryl spoke. "Guy got clocked in the head. The girl don' look like no fighter either."

Rick rubbed his hand over his mouth in thought. The decision was his ultimately, he made that clear last night. The girl kept coming into his mind. She couldn't be older than twenty-three, maybe twenty-four. She asked for their help, pleaded him, even gave up her weapons without a second thought.

Had Dale been here, he would be trying to convince him that they were still human, that leaving them would be barbaric. But could Rick really risk it?

"Put down the gun, man!"

Everyone shot their heads back toward the camp, hearing T-Dog's voice. They ran where they spotted him, aiming his gun toward the man they helped last night, fully awake and angry. Both Rick and Daryl aimed toward him.

"Put the gun down or I swear to God I will shoot you," Rick ordered.

"Toni!" Elena yelled and ran to his side. "What are you doing?!"

"Who the hell are these people?!" he yelled back.

"Put the gun down! They helped us. They helped you. Put it down."

"The hell you talking about?" Toni gazed at her momentarily, feeling a pain in the back of his head.

She grabbed his arm. "Last night, those things attacked. You hit your head. Now put the fucking gun down."

Toni lowered the gun, then shot his sights back on her. "Are you an idiot? We don't know these people."

"I had no other choice," she whispered.

"Remember the last time we trusted strangers?" He looked down on her. "Your sister _died_."

Elena could no longer look him in the eye, inhaling a shaky breath.

Toni looked back toward Rick. "Our guns, where are they?"

Rick still aimed his firearm at him. "You can have them when my group leaves."

Toni took a step forward. "You son of a-"

"Stop!" Elena grabbed his arm and he shrugged her off roughly.

A scream suddenly broke.

"Guys! Walkers! Walkers!" shouted Maggie.

Everyone became slightly disoriented at the new found danger, but sprung into action. There was several of them making their way toward the camp, attracted by the noise of their altercation.

"Do not shoot unless you have to!" Rick told everyone.

Elena jumped for her crowbar that had been set aside. She looked around as the walkers began closing in, forcing the separation of many of the groups members. She spotted a walker heading for the woman with short hair, known as Carol, and threw her crowbar against its skull. Carol looked up at her, eyes wide when Elena felt something breeze behind her, and something dropped to the floor. She looked behind, a dead walker at her feet, an arrow in it's head. She looked toward the man named Daryl, who was already trying to load another arrow into his crossbow.

"Carl!" Lori screamed.

Carl was dodging another walker when he tripped onto his knees. He panicked and tried to scramble onto his feet as the walker came closer.

"No!" Rick yelled, running toward him.

Toni suddenly jumped at the walker from behind as he snapped at the boy. He grabbed his jaw and the top of his head before twisting it, hearing a crack as he broke it's neck. "Go!" Toni shouted at him and slammed the butt of his gun into the skull of the walker until it pierced through it's skull, smashing it's brain.

Carl jumped to his feet and ran back toward his mother, who hugged him tightly toward her as she backed away from the walkers that kept coming.

Elena swung at another, missing and stabbing the curved part of the crowbar into a nearby tree. In the awkward angle, she couldn't pull it free and jumped back, abandoning it. The walker stumbled after her, tripping over its own legs and as it fell, grabbed her ankle. Elena fell forward onto the leaves and kicked her feet at the walker. It held onto her ankle and reached, grabbing a hand full of her pants, pulling itself toward her.

Adrenaline was pumping harshly through her veins and she tried to get away, looking around for any sort of weapon when she spotted the dead walker Daryl had killed with an arrow. With all her strength she grabbed at it, ripping the arrow out of the walker's head, and stabbed it into the walker crawling up her. It's grasped on her loosened and it stopped moving.

Elena was breathing heavily, kicking at the walker so it fell off her.

"There's too many of 'em."

"Everyone back to the cars!"

"Get movin'!" Elena felt someone grab her arm and pull her up onto her feet, shoving her forward. She looked back, seeing Daryl pull and take the arrow she had used to kill the walker.

Toni grabbed at the crowbar Elena left, pulling it with as much force as he had, breaking it out of the trees bark. He ran toward the direction Elena went.

Everyone began running towards the cars, killing their way through the walkers as much as possible. Elena looked around, searching for Toni when she spotted him behind.

"Toni! Your left!"

Toni took longer than he normally would to react at the walker on his side.

"No!"

_Bang._

The walker dropped, a bullet to his head. Toni looked toward Rick, who nodded his head. A pay back for saving his boy. Toni followed suit as everyone filed into the cars. He squeezed in with Rick into his truck along with Lori, Carl and T-Dog, just after he made sure Elena got into the car with Hershel, Maggie, Beth, Glenn and Carol safely. Everyone started their engines, Daryl up in front on his motorcycle and began down the road, the group leaving the dead behind them.


	2. Chapter 2

**Okay as I said, writing this as I go, so you'll discover information about Elena and Toni as much as I will. I think in a way it makes things interesting because you can't be entirely sure why these characters act a certain way. I'm developing them up slowly cause realistic you can't rush getting to know someone. ;)**

**I take credit for no characters, with the exception of Elena Lima and Toni Galvin.**

* * *

The truck was silent as Rick drove, following the other car, planning to find gas and supplies near by. He took a quick glance toward Toni who had his arm leaning against the passenger door, running his hand through his dark hair.

"Thank you," Rick whispered. "For savin' my boy."

Toni looked toward him, sincerity seen through Rick's eyes. He only nodded in return. He looked back out the window. The back of his head hurt and he could feel the stitches under his finger tips.

Toni had been startled when he woke up, to find himself surrounded by strangers. He didn't think, just acted when he saw the black man pull an assault rifle on him. He grabbed at the pistol he had hidden in his waistband. It was when Elena had yelled at him did he notice the women and the boy. They weren't bandits, that he could see. The bandits he encountered didn't have women, which was why they...

He clenched his fist and had to stop himself.

"Elena is your..."

"Fiance's sister," he spoke quietly.

"She said bandits-"

"Look man, I don't know you, and I sure as hell won't be talking about myself."

"Fair enough," Rick whispered.

Damn Elena for running her mouth to people they didn't know. She was always too honest. Too honest for her own good, especially in this shit hole life they were forced into now. He ran his hand through his hair again.

* * *

Elena sat between Beth and Glenn, rubbing her bloody hands on her jeans.

"Are you okay?" Beth asked her quietly.

She slowly nodded her head to her in surprise. It wasn't the first time she been in the middle of a herd of walkers. Even so, it still scared her regardless, no matter how experienced she was in killing them. The crowbar she left was the one weapon that lasted her the longest, and the one she knew how to use effectively. And she had left it.

She still had the guns, this was true. But she wasn't a good aim, having not practised long enough. The guns have always been Toni's speciality.

The drive was quiet and long and the silence lingered as Maggie followed the car behind Daryl's motorcycle. Elena made a mental note to thank him for saving her life.

It was only then in the distance did they see an empty gas station. Daryl in front began to pull over, along with the others. Glenn stepped out of the car and Elena followed suit while Carol and Beth stayed inside.

Elena felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up at Toni who nodded over the distance away from the group. She walked with him until he stopped, handing her her crowbar that she didn't realize he had.

"We can't stay with these people."

"Why not?" she said slowly. Elena didn't have the strength to fight about this.

"You can't use _them_ to replace the people we lost."

"Is that what you think this is?" she said. "Toni, open your eyes. They have more than we did. Water, cars, a doctor! We leave these people we might as well count ourselves dead."

"If you want to stay with these people, fine! Go ahead. I'm better off not looking out for you."

Toni made a move to turn away when Elena grabbed his arm. "This is about Amelia, isn't it?"

His eyes turned to her gravely.

"Treat me like shit all you want, Toni, but you aren't the only one who lost her." She stared at him for a while before walking away from him. She rubbed at her eyes, and made her way back the group.

"Everything alright?" Glenn asked her.

"Yeah, don't worry about it."

"Daryl and I are goin' to canvas the area, when we give you the go ahead we find and supply as much as we can," Rick spoke above the group.

Everyone nodded their heads to his order and Elena couldn't help but admire Rick's leadership.

"Let me help," Elena spoke up.

Rick and Daryl gazed upon her. She held her breath. It was the least she could do, plus it was a job she was comfortable with. Elena had always even the own to sneak in to find supplies. She was the smallest in her group before and quick on her feet.

"Alright," Rick agreed, and headed toward the gas station.

It was quiet around the area, and the gas station looked to be old and outdated, however functional. They peered through the windows seeing the front windows and doors to be barricaded from the inside.

"Ain't no way we're gettin' through here," Daryl said, pushing at the doors handle with no luck.

"Should be a back door, locked from the inside, they wouldn't have barricaded that," Elena replied.

"You an expert on gas stations now?" He peered at her.

"I've broken into some."

Elena looked at him, able to take in his full profile. He was rugged, dirty and wasn't conventionally handsome at first glance. But there was something about him that made Elena curious. Curious as to what, she wasn't sure.

"C'mon." Rick gestured around the building.

There was a back door as Elena had said. Rick tried for the handle but it was completely locked. Elena stepped forward, jamming her crowbar within the crease between the door and the frame. This was why it was her choice of weapon. Effective on the walkers, and also to get through locked doors. She pushed against the crowbar, using her force to break the lock, but the strength she once had was now minimal. Rick gently set her aside and did the same, breaking the lock and the doors handle. He reached for the door and Daryl aimed his crossbow, taking slow steps inside. Rick nodded for her to go in, handing back her crowbar.

The three entered in the dark building. It was cramped with objected littered across the floors. Elena found herself brushing against Daryl, apologizing when he tensed up. He only glanced at her for a second before continuing. From the backroom, they reached the front and Daryl gingerly jumped over the counter. Elena followed close behind when her foot stepped on something awkwardly. She heard something moan and turn to see a hand reach for her leg. By instinct, she pierced her crowbar into the eye of a walker that was sat down by her feet.

"Damn," Daryl whispered, lowering his cross bow.

"This place is clear," Rick said. " We spend no longer than fifteen minutes here."

He then left toward the back. Daryl came toward the walker Elena had killed, looking him over.

"Guy got bit. Must've died 'ere by 'imself."

Elena barely heard him, her eyes set on the rows of chip bags on the shelves. She grabbed one quickly, ripping it open, taking handfuls of the chips and shoving it in her mouth. The hunger emerged, ignoring the fact that the chips were stale. To her, the chips was like a home cooked meal.

As she scarfed it down, she felt eyes on her and turned to see Daryl watching her. Elena suddenly felt extremely embarrassed and looked away, swallowing shallowly.

"...Thank you," she said slowly, trying to avoid the uncomfortable tone that settled. "For getting my back earlier."

"Ain't nothin'," Daryl replied after a moment, standing up from the dead walker and jumping over the counter, leaving her.

Daryl had been pleasantly surprised. The girl had some fight in her after all despite her small frame. He had witnessed her taking down the walker that was about ready to take a bite out of Carol, and the other she had killed with his discarded arrow.

He stepped out of door when he was blocked by the huge build of the guy who was with her. He had to be a soldier, military based, a cop or something.

"Where is she?" he asked, his tone impolite.

Daryl narrowed his eyes on him but didn't get a chance to answer when the girl stepped out through the door. She passed him and toward the man, bags of chips and drinks in her hands as much as she could carry. She offered him a packet of jerky, which he took reluctantly and ripped it open, biting at it. She had smiled at him then, offering him some water.

Daryl had watched them earlier before also. He wasn't sure if it was out of curiousity or suspicion. He knew for the most part the suspicion was there since he witnessed how the guy treated her. The girl had this sense of innocence and honesty about her, while the man appeared to have a hot temper and was rough with her. Daryl had no illusions that he too had a temper himself but he would never be rough toward a woman. It was then did Daryl realize that the two of them reminded him of his mother and father. A naive woman that stayed along a man that did nothing but treat her like shit. Why did Daryl care anyway? It was her choice. But he was going to keep an eye on him. He wondered if the only reason Rick brought him along was because he saved his son.

Elena helped supply what little the station had along with the other women while the men stocked up on the gasoline. She had left Toni, who was now investigating the area, more for the reason to stay away from the group.

Elena didn't know how to talk to him anymore. He had changed so much in the past days, and wouldn't talk to her unless he needed to. She wondered if her pushing to stay with this group was because she felt less alone when it was just her and Toni.

Elena helped Lori set the packages of drinks in the back of their truck and made her way toward Rick. Rick was hunched over, filling a red container with the gas nuzzle. He looked up at her as she approached.

"I'm very appreciative of you taking us in," she said nervously at first. Rick at first glance looked to be a nice man, but his voice and eyes appeared cold from what Elena had noticed. She wasn't entirely sure how to speak to him. "We will make ourselves useful as much as we can."

"I have no doubt you will," he replied, not looking up at her. "But your brother-in-law doesn't exactly mark me as bein' grateful."

She sighed, taking in his words. "I understand as first impressions go. Toni is..." She thought for a moment. Who was he now? "Broken. He went through some hard times. We both did."

"I believe you." He stood, turning his eyes on her. "But know this, if he pulls a gun on my people again, I will act."

She nodded slowly.

"We have all that we can carry. We need to move on, find a safe place to rest and eat before night fall," Hershel spoke up.

The men worked on setting the containers into the back of their vehicles while Elena ran to retrieve Toni. He was ways away, staring into the forest.

"C'mon," she said to him softly. "The group is moving."

"I'm sorry."

Elena thought she didn't hear right at first, his voice so quiet. But when he looked at her, his eyes somewhat glossy, she knew she didn't imagine the apology. She gave him a sad smile, taking his arm and guiding him back to the cars. She was right, when she told Rick that Toni was broken. There no better word to describe it. And she knew in her heart that he wasn't the same man. He was empty, instinct to survive the only thing able to guide him. All she can do now was pray she could make him feel anything again.

When they left the station, Elena asked if she could sit with Toni in Rick's truck. T-Dog had given up his seat, moving to the other vehicle. She sat between him and Lori in the back seat, while Carl took the front as Rick drove. Elena caught a glance from Rick in his rear view mirror, his words haunting her. She had no room to argue with him about his plan of action if Toni snapped again. And she was certain that Toni wouldn't hurt anyone, but nowadays she wasn't entirely sure. She tried to hold the trust she had for him. After all he was family. Not blood, but still family.

* * *

The road was long and scarce but they did not stop until they found shelter. A few homes they had passed, whether it was because of the unsafe structure of the house or where it was located. Eventually, just before the sun was about to set, did the group stop, finding an abandoned shack, hidden beyond a dirt path connected by the road. The area around it was open from the forest, and it was the best shelter they had seen all day. Rick brought the order that they would stay there for the night, eat and get some rest and at first light they would continue on.

Elena was surprised that no one argued with him, not that they had reason to. His decision was rational. The group she had been with before the authority was divided mostly between the men, which led to many arguments. Many times Toni had tried to take control, but her sister Amelia was always able to calm him down, let the other men make the calls. He didn't need to take the responsibility. But Toni always felt he needed to, he was trained for combat, to survive. He was a soldier. And he believed that his qualifications were a demand to be leader.

She was thankful now that they were with Rick Grimes and his people and Toni hadn't said a word to argue about Rick's orders. He didn't even make a single expression indicating that he cared about what their plan was. He just did what he had to almost automatically, like he was programmed that way. Seeing this about him, scared her.

Elena sat beside Toni in the shack across from the women, Carl and Hershel. Rick, Daryl and T-Dog were outside for first watch while the others ate and got rest.

"Here, honey," Lori said softly, handing her a can of soup that was open.

Elena smiled at her, accepting it along with a spoon and ate. It was cold, but it was such trivial things like that that Elena didn't care about anymore. She had half the can, handing whatever was left toward Toni. But he only shook his head.

"Eat," he told her.

Elena didn't want to force it on him, and did what she was told.

The shack was cold as the group huddled together. Elena watched as Carl snuggled against his mother. Glenn wrapping his arms around Maggie. Carol, Beth and Hershel sleeping along side each other. She drew her knees against her chest, her arms wrapped around herself, shivering every so often. She then felt an arm around her shoulders, the body beside her tense as if uncomfortable. Toni held her, not meeting her eyes. His body heat was welcoming but there was something about his hold that was distant and without real warmth. Elena closed her eyes, hoping that she could wash away her worries even if it was just for a couple of hours.

* * *

_All he could hear was her screams. Ear piercing. He watched as the men, their faces overshadowed, destroyed her. He was bound. His wrists, his legs. He couldn't reach her, couldn't do anything. All he could do was watch and listen to her crying, her screaming 'no!' and 'please'. She was screaming for God, but He wasn't there to listen, asking for His help._

_It was when she cried his name, did he feel himself shatter._

Toni woke with a start. His eyes wide and his heart beating so fast he thought he could hear it echo in the room. He had fallen asleep, for the first time in days and now he remembered why he tried not to. He never wanted to see those images again. And he could still hear her screams. His eyes began to sting unbearably and he pulled away from Elena who was sleeping, leaning against his side. He got up and began walking, ignoring the old man who was now watching him.

His mind was moving a mile a minute when he stepped out of the back door and into the night. He started pacing, replaying the images over and over again involuntarily. The tears fell from his eyes as he bit his lip, letting out a frustrated growl, banging his fist against wall.

Toni pulled his pistol from his waistband, the weight of the gun suddenly heavier than he remembered. The images kept coming and he swore he could hear her to his left, to his right, above him and below. _Everywhere_. He tightened his eyes shut, a sob escaping before he put the gun to his mouth, his finger on the trigger.

"Toni! No!"

When he felt a hand grab his wrist, time just sped up without his knowledge and before he knew it he had someone slammed against the wall, his pistol aimed at their face. In that moment, Toni was blind and couldn't see that he had pinned Elena against the wall, the barrel of his gun hovering inches away from her frightened eyes.

"Hey!"

Toni turned when he was shoved away from her by a man and immediately he threw his fist against his jaw. Toni was then dropped violently to the ground, waves of pain on his face and all he thought to do was fight back.

"Toni—Toni stop!" A woman had yelled before she grabbed his arm. He shoved her away to the side.

His arms were then locked, forced immobile, before his face was pushed into the dirt and a weight was on top him. He blinked a couple of times. The images were gone, and so was the sounds of the crying woman.

Elena was on her back watching as Rick and T-Dog held Toni down with his arms behind his back. Daryl was getting back on his feet, spitting out blood to the side as he wiped his swollen lip with the back of his hand.

Toni wasn't fighting back, he just laid there, his eyes vacant, tears falling. Rick suddenly pulled his revolver out, aiming it to the back of his head and Elena jumped back on her feet.

"Stop, please," she cried. "Please don't."

She kept repeating herself until Rick finally looked up at her, his jaw tight. He whispered for T-Dog to get some rope after he made sure Toni wasn't going to try anything. When T-Dog returned he tied his wrists together behind him and shoved him against the wall roughly.

Elena looked over at Daryl, blood trickling down his bottom lip. He was the one who had shoved Toni off her.

"I so sorry-"

"Ain't you that need be apologizin', it's yer jackass of a boyfriend that does."

"...He's not my boyfriend."

Daryl gave her a look. As if that type of information was even at all relevant. It didn't matter who he was, he made him bleed, and that was enough for Daryl to want to put a bullet in his head.

Rick nearly shouted at her. "I told you if he tried anythin'-"

"Please, just let me explain," she tried again, her eyes glazing over.

"I saw 'im put a gun to yer face, and yer defendin' 'im?" Daryl said incredulously.

"You don't understand. He had the pistol in his mouth, he was going to shoot himself, I tried to stop him." She stood in front of Toni when Rick raised his gun to him again. Toni was motionless, leaning against the wall, his head bowed. Elena had her hands up in front of her in surrender. "Just let me explain everything."

Her eyes looked toward the men. Daryl looked at Rick for an answer along with T-Dog. Rick was giving her a cold stare, but didn't say a word.

Elena took that as an opportunity. "Days ago, before we were in the forest, as I told you before our group met up with some men who had supplies. We were desperate and asked for their help. We thought nothing of it. Four men versus the seven of us, we didn't think we had to worry. But they ambushed us. Had men hiding. I was lucky enough to be away when it happened, hiding behind some bushes, told my sister and Toni I had to go to the washroom earlier. I watched as they opened fire, killing friends of _mine_, those that tried to _fight_ back. They kept the few women we had with us, including my sister, dragging them, taking Toni and another also...Toni..."

She took a deep breath, her hands shaking. "They made him watch as they raped my sister and killed her in front of him." She wiped roughly at the tears that were blurring her vision. "I saw him manage to get away, and we both escaped together." Elena tried to control the sob that was coming up her throat. "_Please_. He's all I have left."

Rick lowered his gun and turned, taking a few steps and scratching the back of his head. He blew out a breath and turned back to her.

"Can you control him?"

"...Rick, man, this guy is mentally unstable," T-Dog chimed in.

"He is your responsibility, understand?" Rick told her, ignoring T-Dog. "I can't have him around the others. He's a danger to _my_ people and _himself_. He may have saved my son but I have every reason to leave him behind!"

Elena swallowed the bile down her throat, nodding her head to his words. "...Let me take care of him. If you want him tied up, so be it. Just please..."

Rick wanted to put a bullet in his head. He killed Shane, his best friend, what was stopping him from killing a stranger?

It was the girl.

She was young, desperate yet hopeful, and Rick although cold didn't have the heart to take Toni away from her. The things the man saw had pushed him over the edge, and he wanted to end it but Elena got in the way. Rick thought about Lori, what he would have done if he saw men do the same thing to her as they had done to Elena's sister, Toni's fiance. His chest ached then.

"Your responsibility is to watch him twenty-four/seven. He will not be holdin' and will not be stayin' close to the others. His hands will stay tied unless I say otherwise. I'm not takin' anymore chances with him. You two are strangers. And I have no problem helpin' you Elena, but I know you two are a packaged deal. If I decide to leave him behind at any point in time, I'm not gonna try to convince you to come with us."

Elena never looked away as Rick spoke, her body tense under his authority. She was asking a lot she knew, but her and Toni couldn't survive on their own anymore, not like this. She needed Rick, needed the others and she wasn't proud enough to deny it.

She saw his head turned away from her and followed his gaze. The others were there, his wife, Carl, Hershel, Glenn, Carol, Beth and Maggie. How long had they been watching?

Rick shifted his eyes toward Daryl. "Get yourself cleaned up, T-Dog and I will man the perimeter."

Daryl didn't move for a second, his eyes on Elena.

For a brief moment, Elena thought she saw something within his eyes. Empathy maybe? She wasn't sure. But when he turned away, his hand over his mouth, her mind went back to Toni. She knelt in front of him, holding his face in her hands. She lifted his head to look him in the eye but his vision was elsewhere, staring straight through her. Tears were still rolling down his face and Elena held him against her, rocking him as she sniffled back her own tears.

"Rick," Hershel called out to him.

Rick rubbed his eyes, realizing the sight he saw of Elena holding Toni was a lot more than he could take. He made his way toward Hershel who had convinced everyone to go back inside. Hershel returned his gaze back on him and sighed.

"He's sufferin' from post traumatic stress."

"Is there anything we can do?" Rick whispered.

"No medicine we have will prevent another episode." Hershel looked back at the two. "Only thing that could recover him is the care and patience of Elena. But it may take weeks, months..."

Was it worth it? Rick thought. He didn't know the answer to that. If Shane were here he would have shot Toni point blank no matter what Elena had said. But Rick was a better man. He took leadership, said it was no longer a democracy. He wasn't going to kill Toni that night. He might not kill him tomorrow night. But if he thought it was the best for group, he _will._


	3. Chapter 3

In light of the new Walking Dead episode I thought I'd post this chapter early. More Elena/Daryl in this one, and definitely a lot more talking. But don't worry action will start next chapter. :) Anyway, reviews and suggestions are accepted!

**I do not take credit for characters with the exception of Elena Lima and Toni Galvin.**

* * *

Daryl splashed the bottle of water into his face, rubbing off the blood and flicked his wrist, ridding the stained water to the grass beneath his feet. His lip was split and starting to swell. He lifted his shirt up a bit, feeling a pain throb at his side. A bruise was forming just below his scars, but it didn't look to be that bad. Daryl wiped the sweat off his forehead, thoughtful.

He had been walking around the area, watching the forest when he heard a commotion and followed the sound. Around the corner he saw that Toni guy pinning the girl against the wall aiming his gun in her face. Daryl didn't think of it, just reacted.

In that moment he didn't see her or the guy. What he saw was his younger self and his father. The only difference here was no one did the same for him, when Daryl sprang to action and fought the guy. When he had seen her eyes, the fear in them, he pushed the guy off her and attacked. Daryl wanted to kill him then, take his crossbow and fire an arrow straight through his skull. But she was pleading, pleading to Rick to leave him. Daryl didn't understand at first. Was this girl an idiot? This guy was going to kill her and all she could say was spare his life.

He didn't get it.

Not until she explained. They have gotten through hell and back, and the guy had lost it. She should have let him do it, should have let him swallow his gun and opt out. She was probably better off not having the guy dragging behind her. This was survival now, wasn't it?

Daryl thought about Merle then. Merle was an asshole. He was pretentious, manipulative and ruthless. But he was still his older brother, and he would have died for him because in his own strange way Daryl loved him and he was family.

The girl was only hanging on to the last family she had.

"Hey. Hey wait."

Daryl turned at someone calling. The girl was jogging after him. He watched her longer than he meant to. Beneath the dirt, dried blood, matted hair and rugged clothes, Daryl could see that she had been pretty once. She had this soft look to her, one that wasn't intimidating but friendly. There was something about her. She was looking to Rick and his group for hope never for a minute doubtful even when the circumstances were grave. He thought, maybe this was something the group needed now.

"...Daryl, right?" she asked when she reached him.

"What d'you want?"

His voice was harsh, reminding him how he use to be when they were staying at the quarry. He stayed distant from the group then, always followed Merle's lead. After Merle was gone, Daryl was forced to interact with the others much to his dismay. He could have left them, survived on his own. But when he saw the desperation the others had, and the opportunity that he could actually feel needed to protect them, the thought about leaving had been pushed to the back of his mind.

"I'm sorry he hit you-"

"Don' worry 'bout it."

"But you got hurt trying to help me-"

"I _said_ don' worry 'bout _it_."

She stood her ground, never wavering when he had risen his voice at her. If it were any of the other women they would have backed away, even left...well maybe not Carol. Daryl looked away from her. Her brown eyes staring was enough to make him uncomfortable. When he looked back, she was looking behind her. She suddenly looked smaller to him, and tense.

"I'm sorry..." Daryl didn't know what he was saying before his lips began to form the words. "'Bout yer sister."

Her eyes looked back at him. "I didn't...I didn't see it happen. I thought maybe that was a blessing somehow. Like having no real closure was something to be thankful for. But when Toni told me what they did to her..."

He didn't get why she was telling him all this. To Rick maybe, Hershel even, but to Daryl? He couldn't offer her any comforting advice. That wasn't something he experienced having growing up.

"I'm grateful for you doing what you did. And I'm sorry you got hurt because of it."

Daryl didn't say a word when she turned and walked away. Even after Rick threatened to kill her only family and told her that there could be a chance that they would be left behind, she still tried to make things right with Daryl, with people she didn't even know.

* * *

Elena was sitting beside Toni, watching him. He hadn't moved from the wall, staring into nothing. He wouldn't talk to her no matter how long Elena tried. She gave up, all she could do was sit by him, support him.

Was she wrong to stop him? To stop him from swallowing a bullet?

In the moment she didn't think she was. All she was thinking was that she was saving his life. But now she wondered if what she did was selfish. She didn't see what he saw, she didn't know what demons were now clouding his mind. Yes she did lose her sister, lost people who had become friends with since this whole thing started, but Elena was able to cope. She didn't see what they did to Amelia, and how she died. It was a curtain before her eyes, and she was hiding behind it, she knew. It's not that she didn't miss her sister, she did. But the last memories of her were happy ones, them surviving together. She didn't share the last memories—the last image of her—that Toni had.

"Go get somethin' to eat."

Elena looked up. Rick stood in front of her, his thumbs in the waistband of his pants. He nodded his head toward the shack.

"Are you sure?"

"Go on."

Elena was hesitant. What if there was a darker meaning to him wanting her away from Toni? What if he was going to take that opportunity to kill him? Elena was searching his eyes for any indication.

There was none.

She got up on her feet and went toward the shack, looking back at him. She would just have to trust him.

When she entered, the whispers of the group suddenly silenced and she felt a awkwardness in the air. She went to sit down away from them, too nervous to ask for some food.

Maggie then got up and knelt in front of her, gesturing some food toward her hand. Elena took it, fiddling with it but her appetite just wasn't there.

"...My sister, Beth, tried to do it also."

Elena looked up at her as Maggie spoke slowly.

"Tried to give up."

Elena's eyes drifted toward the young girl, Beth, who's eyes were lowered. Hershel held her then.

"You have to be strong fer him, help him find a reason to live."

Elena's composure broke, and tears weld up as she kept shaking her head. She held a hand to her mouth, keeping the sob in, thinking of how she saw Toni, putting the gun in his mouth.

"I don't know...I don't know how...I don't know what to do."

Elena kept whispering to herself as her body shook, the last of her willpower to hold it in snapping. Maggie then moved beside her and hesitated before wrapping her arm around her shoulder.

Elena cried. It was the only thing she had the strength to do.

Rick stood outside the door. He could hear Elena sobbing inside, and he blew through his nose. He shifted away from the door, deciding that listening to her cry wasn't doing him much favour.

"You should just kill me, get it over with..."

Rick shot his eyes toward Toni, still sitting against the wall. He was staring at the floor. Rick's jaw went taut.

"She begged me for _your _life," he said to him through clenched teeth.

"She's scared to be alone," Toni whispered. "But I can't protect her anymore. There's nothing more I can do for her."

"You really want to give up, leave her behind?" Rick said.

"I didn't want to...but now that we found your group...I know she'll be okay."

Rick took a step toward him. He wasn't exactly sure what Toni was saying. But that wasn't entirely true. Rick had an idea what he was trying to ask him.

Toni finally lifted his head, looking up at Rick with bloodshot eyes.

"Please take her. Leave me behind. Even if she fights, please." His gaze dropped from him. "I promised Amelia I'd take care of her. But I can't keep that promise anymore...not like this. Please, she's safer with you and your group."

Rick was silent, thinking about Elena crying in the shack. "She won't come. Even if you told her yourself."

"She has to learn that letting me go is the only way she can stay alive."

* * *

Elena opened her eyes. They felt swollen and itchy. She could see the light pour in from outside and she stood up. Some of the others were still asleep, with an exception to Lori and Hershel. She asked them quietly if they had any food to spare to take to Toni who was left outside. When she walked out of the shack, she made her way to him. His head was rested on the wall behind him, his eyes closed.

"Toni, hey," she whispered, running her hand across his forehead. He opened his eyes and looked at her, actually looked at her this time. A small smile spread her lips. "You need to eat some."

He looked down at the bag of crackers in her hand, and the bottle of orange juice in the other. She opened the bag, bringing a cracker against his lips. He didn't take it at first but when his eyes met hers and her gaze looked pleading, he took it. She brought the bottle to his lips after.

"...You should have let me do what I needed to do."

Elena stared at him, bringing another cracker to his lips. "You're talking nonsense."

"This isn't up to you, Elena. This is my choice."

She furrowed her brow at him. "But you have to understand that there's still a chance for us-"

"For you," he cut her off.

"_Us._" She folded her legs underneath her. "You need time to deal. To forget what you saw. To realize that Amelia would have wanted you to keep fighting."

"Amelia wanted me to protect _you_. That was her last request."

Elena stopped, letting his words soak in. If that was true, then the only reason he kept going all these days was to help her survive. If Amelia didn't say anything would Toni be alive today? Would he have left her days ago?

"Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem."

"Temporary?" Toni gave a laugh, one that was forced and derived from any real feeling. "I see her every time I close my eyes. I hear her every second of everyday. I can't handle it..."

Elena bit her lip. "What are you saying?"

"Leave me. Find a safe life with these people."

"No."

"They can give you something I can't."

"_No_."

She was shaking her head at him. She grabbed his shoulders tightly.

"You need to think things through. You can't just make a decision because of what almost happened last night."

"I could have killed you!"

"You wouldn't," she choked. "Don't force me into this, Toni."

"Its the best for you."

She grabbed hold of his face, her eyes wide. "Stay with me a bit longer, please I'm begging you. I lost everyone, I didn't have a choice. Now I do, and I won't lose you too."

He didn't blink and stayed silent for a long time. Elena felt she was out of breath, her head hot. She searched him for an answer. Anything.

He bowed his head, shaking it, fighting back the tears that was starting to blur his vision.

"Okay."

She wrapped her arms tightly around him and he buried his face into her neck. They embraced each other for a long moment before letting go. She wiped at her eyes, and looked over at her side. Daryl and Rick stood a distance away. Daryl's head immediately turned away when she caught his eye. She grabbed Toni's arm and helped him up, he staggered for a second, feeling the blood rush back into his legs.

Rick looked toward Lori that came to his side, as he watched the two. "Can we really be safe with him with us?"

"He won't do anythin'," he replied.

"How can you be sure?"

Rick's eyes settled back on her, her eyes wide. There was a deeper meaning behind her words. He was reminded of the discussion he had with her about Shane.

"'Cause if he does, I will not hesitate to kill him."

* * *

"Rick must be crazy, taking a man like that with us."

Daryl was setting his things properly on his bike when Carol came up to him from behind. He looked back at her and to the group getting ready to hit the road again.

"Rick knows what he's doin'."

"And you?" she asked. "You have the right to say something."

"He's only a danger to 'imself." Daryl went back to setting up his bike.

"He hit you." She reached for his face, toward his lip and Daryl recoiled suddenly.

"It's nothin'."

Carol sighed behind him, making him clench his jaw. He didn't understand what this woman wanted from him. To take control? Fight against Rick's orders? Daryl didn't need to. Every decision that Rick had made he accepted, including this one.

He looked back at the girl who was talking to Rick in the distance. She had a heart, one that kept her going this long, that was able to convince Rick in to doing what he might not have done if she didn't try to talk to him. Was something like that a luxury or a death sentence now?

Elena helped Toni in the back of Rick's truck, his wrists now tied in front of him so he was comfortable. Toni didn't fight about it, didn't even mention the fact that he was to be bound now. He thought it necessary. Lori and Carl had migrated to the other car under Rick's orders, traded by Glenn and T-Dog. Precaution, Elena could see. Rick didn't want his family in the same car as Toni. Elena wasn't sure what they were going to do, God forbid they were surrounded by walkers and Toni had his hands still tied. She tried not to think about it, however, there were more pressing matters afoot.

What was the plan? Travelling, scavenging? Can they do this everyday?

* * *

Later that day, the group set up camp and were able to set up a campfire to help warm the cold night. Carol and Lori worked together cooking up the dead carcass of a couple of squirrels Daryl hunted down. He was a hunter and an excellent tracker Glenn explained to her. Elena realized that this group was fortunate. She learned enough to think so. Rick was a sheriff, Hershel—although not a doctor—was a veterinarian, Daryl a hunter and the women knew how to cook.

"So, how about you?" Glenn asked, looking over to Elena across the fire. "What were you doing before everything?"

Elena didn't answer right away, and looked back at Toni, wondering if he would be upset for telling these strangers about themselves. But Toni nodded his head once, giving her permission that she really didn't need to ask for.

"I was a college drop out, unemployed. Been trying to find jobs in Atlanta for the longest time," she answered. "I guess I can be glad that this whole thing got me to forget about not being able to pay my rent."

Some of the group laughed at that, thinking how ridiculous worrying about rent was in comparison to worrying about surviving.

"Toni was a soldier in the US military. He was on leave when everything happened. He was ordered in the front lines, to help civilians evacuate Atlanta. Toni ignored the order, came looking for me and my sister instead. Thankfully we managed to find each other, eventually grouping with others when we realized what was going on. Fought our way through this long."

She looked at Toni then, who frowned.

"How long have you been in the military?"

"Carl," Lori said, holding her sons shoulder at his intrusive question.

"Five years," Toni replied without hesitation. He spoke with a soft tone to the young boy, that you could hardly believe he had a suicidal episode at all.

"You haven't heard anything then? What this was?" Rick asked him.

"End of times," Toni answered. "They never told us what it was, only that we were to report for duty, weapons ready. Lost contact with my fellow soldiers that went. Others I knew were looking for their families also. After that, nothing."

The campfire grew silent. The only noise coming from the popping and cracks from the wood aflame.

* * *

"Where you going?" Toni whispered when Elena stood, thinking he had been asleep.

"I won't go far."

Toni moved his eyes past her, toward the hunter, leaning against a tree a few steps away. He looked back at her, narrowing his eyes in speculation. Elena didn't say anything to him, just sighed. She began walking toward Daryl, who was sharpening wood into what she assumed were arrows. His eyes darted to her as soon as he heard her footsteps, shifting his weight in a sense of slight annoyance.

"How's your lip?" Elena asked him quietly.

"Jus' fine." Daryl kept his eyes on his knife, every swipe on the wood harder than the last. Was he annoyed because she was invading his silence? Or was it because every time she was near him it made him uncomfortable?

"You hunt," she stated. His knife paused then and he looked at her with a raised brow. "I had an uncle that use to take me hunting with him when I was a kid. Never would let me handle the gun though. Who taught you?"

Daryl blew through his nose, and continued carving the wood. "Taught myself."

She nodded her head.

Why was she so interested in getting to know him? No one ever had been before. From the corner of his eye he could see Toni watching them. Daryl rolled his neck and adjusted his footing.

"Don' think yer brother like you talking' to me."

He said it as a test, to see if she would walk away. But she stood still, only looking back at Toni briefly.

"If he won't apologize to you then he's just going to have to deal with it."

Daryl glanced at her, his eyes calculating. He could tell her to leave, let him be, but he found that he didn't want to.

"Your crossbow is really awesome," she said, what seemed to be mostly to herself when she knelt down in front of it, leaning against the tree. She didn't touch it, which Daryl found respectable about her.

"It's a Horton CB721 Scout HD 125," Daryl told her. She looked confused for a second, and Daryl almost stumbled over his words, feeling kinda like a nerd. He coughed to clear his throat. "Baby's been handy."

"No doubt," she said. "You become attached to the weapon that's kept you alive the longest, I think."

"Yer crowbar?" Daryl inquired. He seen her handle it like a double edged sword, her the swordsman.

"Yeah. It's done good for me. More than a gun ever will."

Daryl scoffed. "'fraid of guns?"

"No," she replied. "My accuracy isn't the greatest. A gun was just something Toni handled."

"Should start learnin'. That crowbar of yours could some day bite the dust, then what d'you got?"

She stood up then, still staring down at his firearm. "Yeah." Something seemed to pass over her expression for a moment before she looked up to him. "Good night, Daryl."

Daryl watched her as she left, back toward the fire, and sat again by Toni. The guy was still watching him and Daryl only narrowed his eyes. It wasn't like he was pushing boundaries, the girl kept coming to him. And he found himself not minding her presence. Maybe it was just because she was a new fresh face, and she was easy to talk to. Kind of anyway. But for the likes of him, Daryl couldn't remember her name. It had a flow it, something feminine that went with her face.

Daryl shook his head, dropping his newly made arrow with the others. The only reason he thought of her at all was because she just new, something different added to the group. Nothing more.


	4. Chapter 4

**Just so you know, if I update fast it's usually because I have a really good idea and know how to write it. I would like to thank those that have reviewed and favourited so far. Support keeps me going. I hope you guys enjoy this, had to edit it more times than I care to admit. If there's anything I love writing it's dialogue, but sometimes it can be a bitch...in other words, me staring at what a wrote for a while making sure each character was talking the way you'd expect to see from the show. Anyway blah blah, I talk too much. Read!**

* * *

Day in, day out. It was the same routine.

They'd wake up,eat, head out, travel the road, scavenge for supplies if they could, head out again, find a safe place to rest for the night, if not they slept in the cars, always three keeping watch.

Rick Grimes gave the orders, the strategy, when they were to separate for a short while. But never far, he always made sure everyone kept close.

Elena kept with the group, always making sure she did what she could no matter what it was. She'd help scavenge, she'd help cook, she'd help take on nearby walkers. She did double the work for herself and Toni. Toni still had his wrists tied and wasn't able to do anything. Rick made sure he stayed far from the group especially when he wasn't around. If Elena wasn't with him, he always assigned someone to watch him, not so much for suicide watch but if he did anything that would endanger the group. Toni, although silent and cooperative at first, was becoming agitated and Elena did her best to calm him. Elena even took the risk of asking Rick if it was necessary for his wrists to still be tied, but Rick stood by his decision and made it clear that he wasn't going to change his mind anytime soon.

After that, Toni barely ate, barely slept, barely even talked. What was the point of surviving when alive he was still caged? Elena was growing wary of him. He was better after she asked him to stay with her, just a little bit longer. He was kind, not as kind as he had been before, but spoke softly to her rather than yelled. But that behaviour fell short, and his temper was rising again. He hadn't snapped at the group yet, or Rick Grimes, maybe because he didn't want to ruin Elena's chances with them. But he was cold with her, slapping away the food she offered him, turning away from the water she begged him to drink. The group witnessed it, but no one ever said anything, afraid of the outcome.

It was like watching Carol and Ed all over again, Andrea and Shane the only ones who had the courage to even stand up to him. With this insight, Carol was a lot more friendlier to Elena then she might have been to anyone else. She knew what it was like, to take the abuse without ever fighting back because you loved them, whether it was right or wrong.

If anyone had a reaction to the way he treated her, it would have been Daryl. Subtle at first, he would give him distasteful looks, always making sure Toni saw. Making sure that Toni knew Daryl loathed him. Not just because he had punched him days before without so much as a sorry—not that Daryl gave a shit if he did—but because Elena tried so hard to get him up and normal again and he just rejected her help, her care. Some people just didn't realize what they have, Daryl thought. As a child he didn't have a mother that made sure he ate properly, didn't have someone that made sure he was okay and sleeping well, didn't have someone really _there_ for him. His older brother Merle may have been the exception. In his own messed up way Merle showed that he cared, maybe because he had to or maybe because he genuinely wanted to. Daryl didn't know, but it didn't really matter to him. Carol had filled that void, a little bit, even though he pushed her away sometimes. Especially after he had tried so hard looking for her little girl, Sophia. Carol had lost everyone and she chose Daryl to lean on, and Daryl just didn't know what to do about that.

Elena talked to him sometimes, mostly small talk, nothing that went deeper than that. Daryl didn't really know much about her, except that she was always kind. Something that you would think would die along with the rest of the world. It bothered Daryl at first, was she being fake toward him? Why would she even want to be friendly with someone like him? Maybe she felt obligated because her brother-in-law gave him a fat lip. At least he thought so, so he didn't think much of it. Eventually she'd feel like she wouldn't need to force it anymore, and leave him alone. And for a moment, Daryl wondered if that's what he really wanted.

* * *

Rick honked his horn, signalling the others that he had picked a good place on the road to rest and stretch their legs. Everyone stepped out into the sun, arms outstretched, shaking out the kinks in their legs. Rick made his way toward Daryl who was downing a bottle of water and looking out into the forest.

"We rest here for twenty minutes at least," Rick spoke softly.

"Gives me 'nough time to hunt," Daryl replied. "Haven't had meat fer couple days now."

"I'll come with you, let the others take point until we get back."

Elena opened her door, sliding out of the truck and curving out the strain in her back. She turned when she heard Toni try to slip out, and went to his side, holding his arm.

He suddenly pulled from her. "Stop."

She let go then, as he dropped to his feet, slamming the car door closed with his elbow. Elena watched him take a few steps.

"What has been you problem?" she said to him.

Toni turned to her, a hurt expression on her face. "Enough!" he yelled. "Enough with the feeding, the asking if I'm alright, the holding my arm—just fucking _stop_!"

Elena's eyes drifted at his loud tone, to the others that were now watching them. She inhaled sharply. "Would you keep your voice down?"

He took a step toward her. "_Why_? Let them watch. It's none of their business anyway!"

"You making a show of it is making it their business," she said, her gaze hard.

"Look at me, Elena. Look at me! Tied like a fucking criminal. Fed like an animal!"

Rick began taking hard footsteps toward them, his jaw tight and his hand holding the handle of his revolver that was still holstered. Lori then stepped in front of him, holding him back.

"Let them sort this out," she told him.

He stopped at her words, looking back at Daryl who slightly shook his head.

"I tried, okay?" Elena yelled at Toni. "You're not doing yourself any favours in Rick changing his mind about this!"

"Why? Because I'm _crazy_? I'm crazy for putting a gun in my mouth?"

She didn't say anything. And he approached her, leaning toward her face.

"What is it!"

"It's because of your goddamn temper!" she finally yelled back.

Toni leaned his face inches away from hers. "What did I tell you? I told you to leave _me_ behind. You made this choice, Elena. You don't like how I am? Tough. You chose _this_!"

He pulled back, his eyes not leaving hers.

"Should have just let me kill myself."

Elena inhaled a shaky breath. "I stopped you because your life is still worth living."

"My life ended when Amelia died! It should have been _you_ not her!"

Elena felt the blow to her chest, his words striking her hard. Her legs felt weak under her and her vision dizzy. She stumbled backwards when she took a step away from him. And just as he said those words, Toni's expression immediately fell from anger to regret.

"God...Elena, I'm sorry...I'm sorry I didn't mean—"

When he reached his tied hands toward her, she revolted back as if he were poison.

Elena took in a shallow breath, trying to hold in her tears, a terrible pain in her stomach. She bolted then, quickly past him before he had a chance to grab her. Elena wrapped her arms around her, ignoring the stares she got from Maggie, Glenn, Hershel, Beth, Carol, T-Dog and Carl. When Lori called out and reached for her, Elena just kept going, past her compassionate eyes, past Rick's look of pity, past Daryl's watchful stare.

She just walked away from everything.

At first, no one made a move to go after her, unsure whether giving her space or pulling her back was a good idea.

Daryl looked back at Toni, who watched her go, his face afflicted. He pulled his crossbow over his shoulder and gave Rick a look, which he understood, before turning and following after her.

When Elena couldn't handle the pain in her stomach anymore she just let go. Tears flowing down her face, sob after sob. She couldn't remember a time when she cried so much than she did now. Toni's words replayed over and over and each time Elena felt this added weight on her shoulders. She stumbled for a second but regained her footing, breathing in when she noticed the sound of footsteps behind her.

"Leave me alone," she said, expecting it to be Toni. But when she looked back, she did a double take and stopped.

Daryl was there, a few feet away from her. He looked away from her for a second, squinting his eyes at the bright sun. When he looked back at her, Elena furrowed her brow.

"C'mon." He gestured his head toward the forest.

Elena wiped at her eyes quickly, suddenly feeling self-conscious from his gaze. He must think she was being stupid and over dramatic about the whole thing.

When she didn't make a move, Daryl stepped forward but kept his eyes at the gathering of trees on the side of the road. "Got twenty minutes...can show you how to hunt." He looked at her then, before making his way toward the forest.

Elena slowly began moving after him and followed, not sure why he wanted her to come with him, but she realized that his sudden appearance stopped her tears from falling.

Walking past the trees, Daryl turned his head, making sure she was still behind him. He pulled out his knife after, stopping and reached it toward her, handle up.

"Might be better than yer crowbar."

Elena wrapped her hand around the handle and took it from him in silence. Daryl continued walking, taking his crossbow from his shoulder, aiming from side to side, his feet slowed but moved with ease over broken branches and roots. They walked in silence for what felt like a long while before he fired an arrow making Elena flinch. The arrowed pierced through a squirrel that had been climbing a tree. Daryl reached toward it, pulling the arrow out and catching the squirrel and tying it on a long thread of rope.

"...Have you ever had someone wishing you were gone?"

Daryl looked back at Elena. Her eyes were on his hands as he finished tying the squirrel and rested the rope around his arm.

"Every damn day," he answered and continued forward. "Had an asshole for a father. Didn't give two shits 'bout me or my brother."

"You have a brother?"

"Merle." Daryl stepped over a branch. "Jackass could get under yer skin."

"But you cared about him."

Daryl stopped in his tracks for a second, and Elena thought she might have pushed too far in a subject that he didn't want to discuss. But when he fired another arrow, Elena realized he only saw another squirrel.

"Family's family."

Elena sighed, thinking about Toni. "It's my fault. Shouldn't have taken his choice away from him."

"Ain't yer fault," Daryl replied, pulling at the arrow from the bark of the tree and tying up another squirrel.

"He hates me."

Daryl turned to her. "I know what hate looks like. That ain't hate."

"He wished I died instead of my sister." Elena gestured behind her as if it were obvious.

Daryl looked in the direction her hand pointed at, where the others were way off. He began walking again. "He's jus' bein' an asshole."

Elena dropped her arm and watched him leave. In his own weird way, Daryl was trying to make her feel better. She felt a twitch at the corner of her lips, the smallest hint of a smile.

They continued when Daryl lifted his hand, signalling to her to stop then pointing toward the direction he was aiming at.

A walker stood there in the distance, dragging it's feet through the leaves away from them. Daryl slowly walked toward it, Elena following, adjusting the knife in her hand.

_Crack_.

Elena looked down at the branch she had stepped on and back to the walker where it slowly turned its head at the noise before it was shot down, an arrow pierced through its eye. The two made their way over to the corpse, Daryl bending over to retrieve back his arrow. That's when Elena heard a growl at her side. She moved just in time as another walker lunged at her and she swung Daryl's knife into its skull, losing her balance in the process and falling. She landed on top of the dead walker, immediately jumping away in disgust.

"Nice reflex," Daryl said, lending her a hand.

Elena took it and he wrapped his fingers around hers, pulling her up, his hand surprisingly warm. She bent to grab his knife still stuck in the walker's skull. It was harder than she cared to admit, even when she put her foot against the walker's chest as leverage. Daryl was suddenly beside her, his chest briefly touching her back as he leaned forward, once again wrapping his hand around hers and pulling with her. The knife broke free easily and Daryl let her go.

"C'mon. Should be headin' back."

When Eilena and Daryl returned, Glenn, Maggie and Carol were at the edge waiting for them. Each with a solemn look. Elena looked down, suddenly embarrassed for what had happened earlier.

"Got us some squirrel," Daryl told them as he lifted the rope from his shoulder, six of the rodents hanging from it. On they're way back, Daryl had spotted a couple of more, enough meat for everyone. He began packing the dead rodents on his bike, knowing no one else would have taken them.

"Elena..."

Elena looked up, Glenn looking at her, his eyes sad.

"You okay?"

Glenn was young, and one of the most kindhearted men of the group and Elena had liked him right away upon introducing herself to him.

She gave him a small smile and nodded her head, looking over at Daryl who only quickly glanced at her. For a second she thought she saw the corner of his lips lift briefly so fast that Elena only assumed she imagined it. "Yeah."

Upon their return, Rick began making his way toward them, leaving his position in front of Toni, who had been leaning against the truck. When he was close, Daryl stood away from his bike.

"Caught a couple of walkers in the forest," he told him.

Rick looked toward Elena, her hand still wet from the blood of the walker she had killed with Daryl's knife.

"Probably stragglers. Could've come from a town, city maybe."

"We'll scout down the road, see if we can find it. Pick it clean."

Daryl nodded, swinging his leg over his bike and starting up the engine.

Elena was looking down the road, her gaze on Toni, who from the distance was watching her also. Her expression dropped then, her time with Daryl passed, leaving her to remember why she had walked off to begin with. Rick followed her gaze.

"You don't have to sit in the truck if you don't want."

"C'mon, honey," Lori whispered, waving her hand toward her.

Elena looked away from Toni, walking toward Lori who put her hand on her back, guiding her toward the Hyundai that Maggie had been driving. Maggie gave the keys to Hershel, saying she would sit in the truck with Glenn. Everyone began returning to their cars, the break they sought doing nothing to ease their nerves.

When Daryl began turning at the curve ahead, in the distance he could spot houses. He slowed his bike, making the others behind him do the same. It became apparent that they were headed in the direction of what use to be a neighbourhood. Unlike what they had seen before, the houses and fences and abandoned vehicles were enough intact to not have experienced an overrun of walkers. But they couldn't be too sure. They never could.

Further in Daryl could only think of it as a ghost town. Not a walker in sight. Not even the living. No one. Daryl slowed to a stop. If they were lucky, they would find a lot of things they needed here.

The cars were parked nearby as Rick began brainstorming the plan. Some of them were to infiltrate a house, quietly take down any walkers that could have been hiding in it, and check for any food and equipment they would need. If all was good with one house, they would go to another, do the same thing, but only if there was no cause for alarm. A few walkers were easy to take down, but if there was any evidence that a horde was in this neighbourhood, they would leave no matter if there were houses full of food here.

Rick gave the order for Hershel and T-Dog to stay with the cars and women, so that him, Glenn and Daryl could clean out the first house. Elena watched from the car, staring at Rick talking to Glenn and Daryl about their tactic while they armed themselves with handhold weapons. Elena chewed on her lip for a moment, before stepped out of the car.

"Where she going?" Carl asked his mother.

Elena walked toward the three men, Daryl's knife still in her hand. Rick stopped at mid-sentence when she approached.

"I'm going with you guys."

Rick sighed. "You've done enough for this group, Elena—"

"You might need an extra man, in case it's worse in there than we think," she said, gesturing toward the house.

Rick looked like he wanted to argue. He had let her come along before when they cleared the gas station. But that was different. It was small, and there had only been one walker. Now they were heading into a large house without any idea on what the structure inside even looked like. Essentially, they were going in blind.

"Even it out," Elena had continued when Rick didn't agree right away. "Two for two."

"She's quick when it comes to walkers, I'll give 'er that," Daryl spoke up.

Rick slowly started nodding his head. "Fine. We go in pairs, watch each others back. Daryl and Glenn, you take the upper level, Elena and I got the main floor."

"Okay," Glenn replied, holding his axe tightly in his hand.

Elena suddenly missed her crowbar. It may have been stupid but she felt safer with it, maybe because she got use to it being her sidearm for so long. Her crowbar was left in the truck. The truck where Toni was.

She'd rather take her chances with Daryl's knife.

"Let's go."

They all followed Rick's lead, Glenn sending Maggie a reassuring smile who only looked worriedly at him.

Elena was behind Rick when he stood in front of the door. He looked over his shoulder at Daryl, jerking his head for him to be ready at the side when he opened the door. Daryl looked at Elena for a second just before Rick turned the knob, swinging the door open. Daryl entered swiftly, aiming his crossbow. They then followed suit.

So far so good. In the foyer there was no one and the house appeared silent. Rick signalled Glenn and Daryl to head up the stairs to the right of them, before gesturing to Elena to continue with him on the main floor.

With Rick, Elena entered the living room, the knife in her hand raised and ready. The couch was on it's side, the television faced down on the floor, but there was no blood from what Elena could see. She couldn't tell whether that was a good thing or not.

Rick walked toward a closed door. He put his hand on the knob, and looked at Elena, counting with his fingers.

One.

Two.

Three.

He swung the door open and Elena took a stance but it was nothing but an empty washroom. She let out the breath she didn't realize she was holding. Rick let out a breath also, moving along. They went through every room, each empty but with toppled furniture. There had to be a struggle in the house, or some kind of rush. When there looked to be no more closed up room, Rick led toward the kitchen where a breeze was blowing in. The glass of the sliding door that led to the backyard littered the tiled floors, the air from outside entering. Rick looked out the door. The backyard was fenced, nothing out there but dried grass and a dying garden. Rick sighed, finally lowered his weapon. Elena took that hint that there was nothing out there, and judging by the silence upstairs, she doubted Glenn and Daryl ran into any trouble either.

Elena walked toward the cupboards, to open them up, with the flitting hope that there would be any food left.

"Upstairs is clean." Daryl and Glenn entered the kitchen, their guard also lowered.

"Family who lived here must have left. Maybe everyone in the neighbourhood did," Glenn said.

"We should make sure before makin' accusations," Rick replied.

"Guys?"

The men turned toward Elena, whom had opened up all the cupboards, each one littered with cans and boxes of food. A smile broke through Glenn's lips, looking over the stocked shelves.

"Holy shit."

He came to her side, grabbing cans and naming them. "Beans, corn, soup..."

Daryl came forward too, checking the lower cupboards, one containing an assortment of alcohol. "That's what I'm talkin' 'bout."

Elena smiled, the shred of hope was still there. She looked back at Rick, and although his expression had stayed the same, stern and serious, she could see some relief in his eyes.

Glenn was able to find some boxes, throwing everything he could fit in to put in the cars. Daryl had grabbed the alcohol, some bottles under his arm. Elena helped out Glenn take the food outside.

"You gotta be kidding me," T- Dog said and laughed, seeing them exit out of the house, unscathed, holding boxes of food.

"Any walkers?" Maggie asked Glenn when he was bringing to food toward the Hyundai.

"None. Elena found this," Glenn replied, almost enthusiastic. "There's more inside."

Everyone had stepped out of the cars then, excited over the new supply they found. More food than they had seen in days. Elena dropped the box of canned food by Glenn.

"You did good."

Elena looked up, Toni standing in front of her with a sad smile. She didn't say anything, a sudden tension enveloping her, making her uncomfortable. She made a move to turn away, too afraid to face him.

The smile left his face."I'm sorry, Elena...Just hear what I have to say."

She stopped. "I think you said enough already."

"I didn't mean what I said—"

"Yeah you did, otherwise you wouldn't have said it."

When Elena started walking away, Toni grabbed her arm with both tied hands. "Just hear me out."

"Let me _go_," she said through clenched teeth, staring back at him. She tried to free her arm but he kept a firm grip. "You're hurting me."

"Hey." Daryl stepped in between them, making Toni's grip drop. "You _deaf_? She don' wanna talk to you."

The two began sizing each other up. Although Daryl was built himself, he was still much smaller than Toni, but that didn't appear to scare Daryl off. In a sense, Daryl still had tension with Toni since he fought with him days ago. But when he watched him lay a hand on Elena, he didn't think twice before interfering.

"Daryl," Glenn called to him, warning him to back down.

Elena then saw something move beyond Toni's shoulder, something by the truck. Her first thought was a walker, and she opened her mouth to say it when she realized it wasn't staggering and it was rummaging through the back of the truck. A walker would have made its way toward them, not the truck.

"Hey," she called out to the figure, jumping passed Toni and Daryl, toward it. "Hey!"

"Stay back!" The figure stepped away from the truck. He was an older man, his clothes stained with blood and ripped. He was shaking, something about him completely off. "Stay back!"

Elena stopped in her tracks when he lifted a pistol in his hand at her. Instinctively, she lifted her hands up, frozen.

"Elena!"

Toni ran to her side, along with Daryl, T-Dog, Glenn and Rick. Rick lifted his hands to the others, signalling them to get back.

The man moved his gun toward each individual, his aim shaky. Rick already had his revolver out, aiming at the man.

"Put the gun down!"

Toni pulled Elena back.

"_Put_ the gun _down_!"

The older man didn't falter. "Y-You leave! This is my home! Mine!"

"This guy ain't all there," T-Dog whispered, his rifle aimed also.

"I will shoot, do you hear me? Lower your weapon!" Rick shouted.

"You can't take it! Go away!"

Rick took a step forward and the man pulled the trigger.

The gunshot echoed throughout the neighbourhood, ringing in Elena's ears, her view of the man suddenly gone when Toni stepped in front of her.

Then he dropped.

Another gunshot sounded, Rick's bullet piercing through the man's head.

Elena dropped on her knees, turning Toni over. Blood spread from under his shirt, around the bullet hole in his chest, where his heart was. Toni was coughing, blood pouring from his mouth.

"Oh God...oh God..." Elena looked him over, her heart beating so fast. She moved the military dog-tags he always wore around his neck and held her hand over his gunshot wound, in an attempt to stop the bleeding. Toni let out a low cry, gargled from the blood coming up his throat. Tears came to Elena so fast before she had the time to notice. She ran her hand over Toni's cheek, his blood on her fingers, staining his skin.

"We can fix this...we can fix this," she was telling him, a sob escaping, her words less coherent. "Hershel can fix this."

Toni's wide eyes looked at her and he parted his lips, desperately trying to say something. All he did was gargle and cough, his lips and chin red.

"You're gonna be okay. I promise. You're gonna be okay."

Toni then stopped.

His eyes were still on hers, but his body was no longer shaking, his lips no longer trembling. He just laid there. Elena shifted her eyes to either of his, leaning closer, her tears falling on his face.

"Toni? Toni?" He didn't move. "No. No, no, no, no, no, no, _no."_

Immediately, Daryl wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her away from him. And she fought, grabbing at Toni, her hand tight around his dog-tags when the chain broke from his neck.

"No! No!" she was screaming. "_No_!"

Elena tried pulling away from him, reaching her hand toward Toni. Daryl's arm on her tightened.

"No!" she cried, her voice cracking and hoarse.

Rick stood above Toni's body. Toni's hands began to twitch, and his chest rose, taking a breath. His eyes slowly looked toward Rick, before he bared his teeth and growled.

_Bang_.

Elena stopped fighting, stopped screaming, stopped crying. Only stared at the hole through Toni's forehead.

Elena couldn't feel her feet anymore and she collapsed, catching Daryl off guard and forced to hold her entire weight.

Rick had his gun still aimed at Toni when his eyes shot toward Elena. Her face pale.

Moans were then heard, distant but combined by many, travelling throughout the area. Rick, panicked, looking around as walkers began appearing, drawn from the gunshots. They came from the forest, from the houses they hadn't search, from behind cars. They were surrounded.

"Back in the cars," Rick said. "Back in the cars!"

T-Dog began shooting toward nearby walkers, providing cover fire for Hershel, Maggie, Beth and Carol as they jumped into the vehicle. Glenn pulled out a gun, shooting two walkers in the head before stepping into the drivers side of the Hyundai and turning on the engine. Rick yelled at Lori and Carl to get in the truck after killing the few walkers that were already feeding on the crazed old man Rick shot not moments ago.

"We gotta go!" Daryl was shouting into Elena's ear but she could barely hear, still staring at Toni's lifeless body. Daryl let out a frustrated growl, pulling Elena with him, practically dragging her. He aimed his gun, each shot piercing a walker's head that stood near his bike. He hopped on, pulling Elena with him. He started up the bike, revving the engine a couple of times before making sure Elena had her arms around him. He then took off, turning away from the neighbourhood, avoiding the walkers that staggered on the road, the Hyundai and truck close behind him.

Daryl kept going, never looking back, the engine of his bike loud in his ears. Elena's face was pressed against his shoulder blade, her body closed against his back. Daryl's hand let go of the bikes handle, reaching for Elena's arms wrapped around his waist, making sure her hold was firm. And that she'd never let go.


	5. Chapter 5

**Gotta say, the amount of reviews and followers I received after the last chapter put a smile on my face. Keep them coming people! This chapter is a lot shorter, but I think it sets the tone for things to come, so I give it to you guys early. Enjoy. :)**

**I do not take credit for any characters besides Elena Lima and Tony Galvin.**

* * *

"...Stop. Stop."

The engine of the bike was so loud, Elena didn't think Daryl had heard her. But when she felt the pain in her abdomen, she was desperate.

"Stop!"

She knew Daryl had heard then because he tried to look over his shoulder at her. She loosened her grip around his waist and that immediately made him brake quickly and slow down his bike. Elena jumped off before he came to a full stop and ran to the side of the road, her insides coming up her throat. She threw up what little was in her stomach, and coughed, gagging when she felt more coming up. But she knew there wasn't anymore, she barely ate anything earlier. She lifted her hand to wipe her mouth, but stopped, staring at them. They were red, covered in blood, some of it still wet, and Elena couldn't blink. She felt light headed all of a sudden, her vision becoming dazed. She reached out when she felt like she was falling, grabbing at the guard rail on the side of the road. She could hear her heart pumping in her ears and she squinted her eyes to focus but she only wavered. She was hearing voices but they were distant and echoing, hurting her head that felt white hot. She tried to hold it, her skin cold, blurred faces in her view.

"Elena?"

"Is she okay?"

"What's wrong with her?"

"She don' look too good."

"She's going into shock."

"Dad?"

"Just stay there, Carl."

"Keep her steady."

"I got 'er."

"Her heart rate is too high. And she's cold."

"What do we do?"

"Lie her down."

"Hershel?"

"We need blankets to maintain her body temperature."

"Rick?"

"Lori, get a blanket. Hurry."

"I hate to say it, but we're not too far off from the walkers. We can't stay here."

"Maggie's right. Rick?"

"Let's move her to the truck."

"Daryl, you got her?"

"She ain't heavy."

"C'mon, quick. In the back seat."

"Gently, now."

Elena could only hear her breathing then, staring into the dark face that was looking down on her. But her eyes lids felt heavy, and ringing suddenly replaced the voices before the noise lowered and all she could see was black.

* * *

The sun was setting when Elena finally woke up. But she still wasn't all there. She was quiet, detached and disoriented. When they set up camp for the night Lori took the time to use what water they could spare to clean off the dried blood on her hands, even taking the time to change her out of her clothes and fitting her into clean ones that Maggie graciously shared. Lori tried talking to her, telling her how much she was sorry but she wondered how much Elena was even listening. Hershel checked her over now and again, making sure her heart beat was stable, but without the equipment he needed he couldn't make an accurate measurement if her blood pressure was low. That was something to be concerned about.

The others gathered around the small fire, the flames low so they wouldn't attract any walkers that might see them from a distance. Daryl still kept watch though, his crossbow in his hands, but standing close. He looked to his left, Elena sitting away from the group, leaning against a tree, a blanket wrapped around her.

"Has she eaten anything?" Rick asked, looking in the same direction.

"Not since this morning," Lori replied, helping Carol cook the squirrel Daryl had skinned.

"That guy back there..."

The group looked toward T- Dog.

"You think he was alone?" He was referring to the unstable man back at the neighbourhood.

"Had to be. You saw him. He didn't look sane," Glenn said.

"Stayin' with all those walkers there?" Maggie asked, confused.

"Could've been hidin'. Movin' from house to house," Daryl chimed in.

"Maybe he lost people, didn't want to leave. Living alone by yourself...with everything that's going on..." Glenn trailed off, staring at the fire.

"It changes a man," Hershel finished for him.

"All that food though, back there in that house," T-Dog began. "There had to be more. No one picked that place clean, and there was only one guy. There had to be a lot left. Maybe we should head back, grab what we can."

"We can't go back, not after what happened to Elena's brother-in-law." Lori was the voice of reason.

"Can't risk it." Rick hadn't spoken for a while, he had only been listening. "There's too many walkers and we don't have the ammunition to spare."

"What if we waited? Until the herd migrates?" Glenn asked.

T-Dog stared at him. "And what if someone else comes, takes everythin'?"

"We keep goin'." Rick's voice was firm. "There will be other places. Other chances."

No one said anything, only silently agreeing. Lori continued to BBQ the meat, before putting it on a small plate with a side of the canned corn they found from the house.

"Someone needs to take this to, Elena. Make sure she eats. We can't have her fainting on us again"

Daryl made a move to take it, when Rick suddenly took the plate from Lori's hands. He stood from his bent position by the fire, walking past the others and toward Elena.

She could see them from a distance, whispering to one another. Maybe because they didn't want her to hear, or because she was just too far to be able to listen. It didn't matter. Elena's hands were shaky, when she lifted her fingers away from her palm, unveiling the dogs tags in her hand.

GALVIN

ANTONIO J.

270 - 05 – 2211

B POS

CATHOLIC

Blood had been splattered over the medal and Elena began wiping it away with her thumb. But the blood on the letters stayed and she rubbed harder, biting her lip, her eyes started to sting. The blood wouldn't come off. She threw the dog tags away from her, resting her head in her hands and swallowed, concentrating on controlling the fresh tears from falling. Her head was hurting, so she took in deep breaths. She then heard footsteps in front of her, followed by an aroma so welcoming, her stomach constricted. Elena looked up just as Rick bent down, a plate of food in his hands.

"You need to eat."

Elena said nothing for a long time, staring at the plate in his hands. She could feel the pain in her stomach, begging her to take the food, but her mind was telling her that it would make her sick if she did.

"Here," Rick said, taking her hands and positioning them to hold the plate. He didn't want to push it further, and stood up. She'd come around and eat eventually.

"We all have it," Elena said, just before he was about to walk away. He looked back at her and met her eyes. "This sickness."

"Yes."

"When he turned, I didn't believe it." She looked away from him, staring out into the darkness. "You don't have to be bit, don't have to be scratched...no matter what, when you die you'll become one of them, walking around, waiting for someone's loved one to kill, until someone shoots you in the head, then you're dead again. And then what?"

Rick watched her, her voice cold, and for a second he wondered if he was staring at the same woman that begged for his help days ago.

"Look, Elena, I'm sorry about the way it went down, I am. But it had to be done."

"You were just protecting your group. I get it." She lowered her eyes. "I just wish he went peacefully, you know? Should have just let him do what he had to do days ago...The pain I saw on his face...That blood is on my hands."

"You can't go blamin' yourself for somethin' you had no control over."

"That bullet was coming for me," she whispered. "He got in the way."

"You can't know that for sure."

"No," she agreed. "But it's all I think about."

Rick sighed, not knowing what more to say. He frowned and he realized he couldn't look at her anymore as he ran his hand through his hair. He thought about Toni, not about the way he died, but before. Before they entered the neighbourhood. And what he said to him.

_Rick watched Daryl chase after Elena, then looked at his wife. Lori looked at him gravely, the first real emotion she had shown to him since he told her he killed Shane. He turned away from her, heading toward the truck. Toni still stood there, his eyes far away, his mouth agape. He was shaking his head, lifting his tied hands to rub at his face. He leaned forward against the truck, breathing in deeply._

"_You proud of yourself?"_

_Toni leaned away from the truck, rubbing at his eyes before looking at Rick. His eyes were red, glazed over. He didn't say anything to him, just leaned his back against the truck, his legs unable to support him. He looked away from Rick, to the floor, then back up._

"_Leave me behind." He looked at Rick with pleading eyes. "Next chance you get."_

_Rick stared at him with his brows furrowed._

"_You leave me," he whispered. "So I can't hurt her anymore."_

"_That puts your blood on _my_ hands."_

"_Leave me a gun. One bullet is all I need. My blood, my hands. Not yours."_

"_And what do I tell Elena?"_

_Toni went silent. He took a breath. "The truth."_

_Rick took a step toward him. "You're puttin' that responsibility on me?"_

_Toni's gaze on him was serious. "She'll understand if she knows this is what I wanted. You tell her this is what I asked for. You tell her she deserves to be happy, to be safe, with your group." He rubbed at his eyes again, his face sad. "And without me."_

_Rick turned away from him, rubbing his hand over his mouth._

"_Think it over."_

When Rick looked at Toni that time, he saw a broken man, filled with regrets and asking him to put an end to his misery. To tell the one he loved that he wanted this, he wanted her to be happy and protected. That moment, Rick did think about it. How many opportunities will they get to choose how they will die? To decide you can't fight anymore? Rick wondered if there would come a day he no longer could fight.

Rick exhaled through his nose, gazing at Elena. She didn't need to know about that. About Toni's request. Not now. Maybe never. Sometimes ignorance was bliss.

"Eat something. You'll need your strength," he told her and walked away.

Elena barely slept. Maybe twenty minutes at a time, then wake up again, hoping that yesterday was a nightmare. But nothing changed. She was still in the same place, the same life, without him. She tried to set her mind to think that at least Toni wouldn't suffer anymore, at least he was with Amelia now, at least they were together.

And she was alone.

He was the last of her family, the only one she could hold on to. And it was selfish to think, that he was the one that left her, he was the one that set her up to try to survive by herself. It was selfish, but the thoughts clouded her mind anyway.

Elena lifted her self up and reached for his dog tags she had thrown to the floor last night, reaching for the last piece of him she had left. Her fingers only touched grass and leaves, and she scanned her eyes beside her. She couldn't see it. Panicked, Elena was on her hands and knees, brushing through the leaves, hoping to touch the cold metal. When she reached forward, the dog tags suddenly dropped in front of her view. She stared at them for a second before looking up, Carl smiling down at her. She lifted her hand underneath it, and he dropped it in her palm. She looked it over, the blood gone.

"I cleaned it for you."

She felt warmth spread through her, melting away the coldness that had grown in her. Elena looked at him and smiled.

"Thank you."

He returned it, nodding his head. "I'm sorry about Toni. But my dad will keep you safe. He'll make sure we all are."

"Your dad's a good man."

"Yeah."

Elena got up on her feet, to put her hand on the boy's shoulder as a show of gratitude, when she saw Daryl come walking up behind. He nudged Carl's arm and gestured back over his shoulder with his chin.

"Why don' you see if yer old man need help."

Carl nodded his head, and walked around him. Leaving the two alone. Daryl looked back at her.

"How you feelin'?"

Elena could only shrug. She wasn't sure at this point, the devastation was still there. She watched Daryl, who looked uncomfortable for moment, looking away from her.

"You were protecting me from Toni..."

Daryl met her eyes, thinking about how Toni had grabbed her when she didn't want to talk to him, about how Daryl stood up for her without a second thought. He wondered if that's what she was thinking about too.

"You knew he was gonna turn," she continued.

Daryl blew out a breath, realizing he might have dodged a bullet from explaining himself about the other thing.

"No good to us bit," he replied. "Need the extra man, like you said."

She laughed a little at that. "Yeah." She looked down at her hands, clasping the chain of the dog tags back together.

Daryl watched her fiddle with it for a minute. "He probably would have wanted you to keep fightin'."

Elena looked back up at him, where his face was serious. He took a step toward her, hesitating for a moment, before taking the dog tags from her hand, and placing the chain around her neck. Elena let him, feeling his fingers brush against her skin when he put the chain on her, the tags hanging over her chest, before he let go. They gazed at one another for a while, until Daryl looked away and began walking. She watched him go, then looked around at the others, sorting themselves out and packing back their things to hit the road again.

She wasn't really alone after all.


	6. Chapter 6

**So, I'm going to start by saying I'm an idiot. This entire time I've been writing Elena's name wrong. God knows why I thought there was an 'i' in it. And because I'm a complete tool, I'm gonna go back and edit that out. Anyway, about this chapter. It's fucking long. Wanted to push some more action into the story and the relationship between all characters. Although Elena is one of the main characters I don't just want to make it about her. After all, since this story takes place on the 8 months between season 2 and season 3 I wanted to develop how Carl becomes badass and how Rick and Lori's relationship pretty much crumbles. And now I'm starting to develop the relationship between Daryl and Elena...I figured something. With Daryl being social awkward, I think if a girl liked him, he would be completely clueless. BTW, that was a hint. ;) Reviews and suggestions are welcomed!**

**I do not own any characters beside Elena Lima and Toni Galvin.**

* * *

Steps slow, one after the other. Her position was bent, her back curved and her weapon ready. Elena listened, straining her ears for shuffling feet and breathing. It was quiet around her and she continued, stopping again to listen. She then heard it, the faint sound of a breath. Elena shot her head to her right, taking another step. She sucked in a breath when the floor boards creaked under her weight. She froze, listened. It was quiet. Elena took another step, the whining floor boards beneath her almost faint. She pressed her back against the wall when she neared the doorway, her crowbar tight in her hands. She leaned her head to look in the dim room. Counter tops, a refrigerator, stove, cupboards, a table, chairs. It was a kitchen. Elena scanned the room thoroughly, her eyes stopping at the figure in the middle of the room.

It stood there, wavering, it's head rested lazily against it's shoulder, it's clothes hanging on it's thin frame. Elena watched it, reaching behind the waistband of her jeans, her hands touching cold medal. She took in deep breaths, remembering Rick's words earlier. "Everyone goes in with a gun," he had told them. "But only as a last resort. We have little ammunition. Do not shoot unless you have no other choice." When Rick had given her the pistol, Elena didn't feel confident with it. Not that she didn't know how to use it but because she wasn't practised enough with it. She wiped the sweat on her palms against her pants and adjusted her grip on the crowbar. Elena took a step in, lowering herself, each step slow and precise. The walker twitched then and Elena stopped, waiting, her heart beat quickening. When it didn't turn, she took closer steps, her crowbar raised.

The walker turned swiftly, its jaw opened wide, teeth bared. Elena pulled back, the walker colliding against her arm, the crowbar flying from her hand. She took a step back, the walker's jaws at her throat. Her ankle hit against the leg of a chair and she fell backward, the gun digging in her back.

"_Shit_."

Elena reached her hand to her crowbar but it was too far, using her other hand to pull herself away from the walker, who was reaching underneath it toward her. Lifting her back from the floor, Elena grabbed the pistol from her waistband, using the heel of her boot to push her back more as she switched the safety off. The walker growled at her and she pulled back the slide, entering a bullet in the chamber. Elena gritted her teeth, pointing the gun up at the walker's face and fired. The walker jerked back only slightly, the bullet hitting his shoulder. Elena pushed herself back with her left heel, her aim shaky. When she thought the barrel lined up with his forehead, Elena fired again. The second bullet skimmed his neck. The walker's hands tried to grab her shirt, and she tried to pull back, her back hitting the wall behind her. Her breathing hitched when the end of an arrow pierced through the walker's cheek and it dropped.

Elena took in deep breaths, lowering the pistol to her lap, looking across the room. Daryl stood there, lowering his crossbow. Elena pulled herself back on her feet, wiping the nervous sweat from the back of her neck, when he approached, pulling the arrow free out of the walker. Glenn then ran in the room, his face concerned.

"You guys okay?" he asked quickly.

"She jus' can't aim." Daryl looked at Elena then, his grin mocking.

Glenn sighed at that, lowering the pole in his hand. Elena rubbed at her eyes, walking to the side of the room to grab her crowbar.

"Cut her some slack, she's been out of the fight for a while."

"Can you two not talk about me like I'm not here?" Elena said, not out of anger but out of embarrassment.

"Sorry," Glenn apologized.

"Everyone alright? I heard the gunshots," Maggie said, entering the room, a machete tight in her hand.

"We're fine," Glenn reassured, receiving a relieved sigh from her. He then walked toward the refrigerator, opening it up and looking over its contents. "Is that bacon?" Glenn said mostly to himself, excitement in his voice.

Daryl came up behind him, leaning toward the opened package and sniffing it. "Rotten bacon."

"It _would_ be." Glenn blew out a breath in disappointment. "God, how I miss bacon and eggs in the morning."

"What else is in there?" Maggie asked.

"Fruit. We'll pick out the ones that don't look so bad. Here, Maggie, gimme your bag." Glenn and Maggie began throwing the fruit in the backpack.

Daryl looked over at Elena, jerking his head to the door. Elena followed after him down the hall and to the foyer. Elena stepped outside into the bright sun and she used her hand to shield her eyes.

"Gotta work on yer accuracy, sweetheart," Daryl said at her side, his tone teasing.

Elena looked at him where he walked away, going around the corner of the abandoned house. She pursed her lips.

"Heard the gunshots. What happened?" Rick asked, coming up to her.

Elena pulled at the pistol and gestured him to grab it. "I told you I wasn't a good shot."

Rick looked at the pistol, but didn't take it. "You'll learn."

"Waste of ammunition if you're asking me," Elena whispered, lowering the pistol.

"Practice." Rick slightly smiled at her. "Haven't you handled a gun before?"

"Barely. Went to the gun range once." She was sad for a moment. "Toni took me."

Rick nodded his head slowly. "You'll get better at it. A lot more opportunities now to do so."

Elena silently agreed as he gave her a slight pat on her arm, before walking off, checking the perimeter again, she could only assume.

Elena didn't know how long it had been. A week, maybe two. Keeping track of the days kind of seemed pointless now. It wasn't easy dealing with Toni's death, and it still wasn't, but Elena found ways to keep her mind from thinking about it, much like she had done when Amelia died. It was harder though. She had seen Toni die, he died in front of her, died staring at her soaked in blood. But you could only grieve for so long. What with the dead walking around, feeling sorry for yourself wasn't going to help you get things done. It took her days to realize that. She could keep herself in a dark hole of sadness and pity, or she could climb out, fight, live a life the people she lost couldn't. Elena lost her family, but in the end she gained a new one.

It was strange getting use to it. Everyone knew one another well enough and Elena was the odd one out. But she tried anyway to be involved after, at least understanding the people that she was now trying to survive with. She wanted to get back in the action, to clear way from walkers in order to do what they needed. Rick wouldn't allow it though. He didn't think she was well enough, not physically but emotionally. He had her helping Hershel, Lori, Carol, Beth and Carl, with whatever needed to be done, whether it was to watch Carl, organize the supplies or distribute the food. Maggie had taken up the role of protecting the group. But Elena wondered if it was more for being by Glenn's side and protecting him than anything else.

This was her first time getting back into it. And you would think muscle memory would be there but Elena was rusty. Hardly had she gone days without protecting herself, killing walkers when she needed to. Now that Rick, Daryl, Glenn and T-Dog took that responsibility, it seemed different. For better or for worse. She didn't have to be scared, her life wasn't on the line. But at the same time she had this worry that one day one of them wouldn't come back. Elena didn't know the group long enough, this was true, but she had a fondness, an attachment to them, one that could only form surviving together.

The group was set up by the abandoned house, foremost to check for food along with making sure it was secure enough to stay. So far they only encountered two walkers, one of them being the one she missed twice before Daryl took care of it. Elena couldn't help but be completely embarrassed, especially in front of Daryl. Why she cared about what he thought, was completely beyond her.

"How is it in there?"

Elena looked at T-Dog, leaning against the hood of the Hyundai. "Empty. Found one walker."

"Cozy enough to sleep?"

Elena grinned. "I don't know about that."

"You know what I miss? A nice warm bed, soft sheets, a pillow..."

"_Actually_ sleeping," Elena added.

He frowned at her. "Still ain't sleeping the night, huh?"

"Can't force it. Worst thing you can do."

"I hear that."

Glenn and Maggie then excited the house just when Daryl and Rick came by around from the back.

"Can we stay here?" Carol asked aloud, her arms wrapped around her.

"Fence in the back is broken, so is the back door," Rick explained. "This place is too closed off. Not gonna risk it."

Carol sighed, turning away and going back in the car. Rick looked to Lori, sitting in the passenger seat in the truck and he frowned. "Lets head out, before we lose light."

"Got some fruit, Rick, and some vitamins for Lori and the baby," Glenn told him.

"Good job," Rick replied, sounding more distant than grateful and headed in the way of the truck.

Elena watched as Maggie and Glenn both exchanged a look, before she too went in the truck.

* * *

Elena stared at the roof of the truck, Carl sleeping curled at her feet. She looked at him, a ping of jealousy hitting her. He looked so peaceful and so at ease. She tried falling asleep, probably for an hour, tossing and turning in what little room she had in the back seat but no matter how tired she was, she couldn't. She was frustrated, annoyed and exhausted. Elena pulled herself up, rubbing her eyes before exiting out into the cool night air. She pulled her sleeves further to wrap around her hands as she walked past the truck. She walked along side the Hyundai, where she could see the others sleeping inside, and Daryl leaning against the hood of it, keeping watch, holding his crossbow by his legs. He looked at her when she approached, tensing up until he realized it was only her. He adjusted himself against the hood, looking back down the road.

"Couldn't sleep?"

She folded her arms in front of her and stood beside him. "No."

"Still embarrassed about earlier?"

"_That's_ not why I can't fall asleep."

Daryl snorted a laugh. "Never seen how red yer face can get."

"Thanks," Elena replied, wondering if she should have just stayed in the truck.

"Was jus' kiddin'," he replied. "Lord, don' get yer panties in a twist."

"It's not that."

He looked at her then, his expression slowly going soft. "What is it?"

"I was thinking of what you said to me before, about how I should learn how to carry a gun in case. I kinda just put it in the back of my mind, you know? Thought I was okay, Toni can handle the guns. I guess its just the pressure now to learn fast."

"Gotta start somewhere."

Elena pulled the pistol out, where she kept it shoved in her waistband. She examined it in her hands, the moonlight shining over the medal. How can something so small be so intimidating to use?

"C'mere," he said after a moment, nodding his head for her to come closer. She did, a little confused, but more curious. "Aim yer gun."

She did so, her hands wrapped around the handle and aiming it straight ahead. She double checked that the safety was on, something that Toni made sure she remembered. Daryl rested his crossbow leaned up against the Hyundai, before coming up behind her. She felt his breath on her neck, reaching his hands around her arms, careful to keep a distance between his body and hers. He unlocked her arms from the straight position they were in and bent them a little, kicking at her feet so they were set the way they were supposed to.

"See that sign over there?" Elena nodded. "Line the sights toward it."

Elena did what he told her, Daryl adjusting the gun in her hand, and she realized she'd been doing it wrong the whole time. He let go of her, taking a safe step back.

"Gonna be different when the target's movin' but walkers are slow," he said before a rye grin slid over his lips. "Ain't that hard. And I ain't have to come in an' save yer ass no more."

Elena stifled a laugh. "I don't blame you for that."

Elena shoved back the gun into her waistband and leaned back against the car. If she couldn't sleep, the least she could do was help Daryl keep watch. Daryl leaned back also beside her, wiping his face with the back of his hand, and a silence lingered between them. But this silence between them was comfortable and for once, Elena didn't feel compelled to make small talk like she had before.

"Can I ask you something? It might be bizarre," Elena said after a while.

"Go 'head," Daryl replied, sounding tired.

She thought for a minute, trying to organize her words. "Before I came to you guys...did something happen?" Daryl looked over to her, and she continued. "I just can't help but see a tension between everyone, especially with Rick."

Daryl didn't answer for a moment, and Elena wondered if he wasn't going to.

"Shit went down," he began. "We had others with us. Lost 'em." Daryl shifted his feet, getting more comfortable. "Guy named Shane, Rick's friend, was callin' the shots 'fore Rick came, took over. Pissed off Shane. Carol had a lil' girl, Sophia..." Daryl stopped for a bit, his eyes narrowing toward the distance, his mind appearing somewhere else. "She went missin'. Spent days lookin' for 'er. Found 'er as one of 'em. Rick blamed 'imself."

"Why?"

"Runnin' from walkers, lost 'er." Daryl inhaled. "After that, group was broken. Shane an' Rick fought over who was right. Shane was messed up, wanted to kill Rick."

"Rick killed him first." It wasn't a question.

Daryl gave one nod.

"Is that why Rick and Lori barely talk to each other?"

"Dunno," Daryl said, his tone disinterested.

"I just figured, a married couple, they're lucky to still be together through this mess, to still have their son. Others don't have the luxury. But I don't see any affection between them. And Lori having the baby...," Elena trailed off.

Elena only found out about Lori's pregnancy when she over heard her talking to Hershel about it. Lori seemed scared, as she should be, Elena thought. How could you raise a child in a world like this? But thinking about it, Elena also saw it as a small miracle. A tiny bundle of hope in world of death and despair.

Elena sighed. "Their relationship just seems off."

"None of my business."

"Neither is it mine." Elena grinned. "Just thought I'd voice my opinion. I just think, you can't take your significant other for granted. You don't know if or when you might lose them."

Daryl was quiet for a second. "What? You lose a boyfriend or somethin'?" He tried to keep his voice sounding bored, but Daryl couldn't help feel interested in her answer.

"No, no," she answered quickly. "Thank God I was single when the end of the world started."

Daryl peered at her from the corner of his eye. "Why?"

Elena thought about Amelia and Toni. "'Cause if you lose them, I can't imagine how you could move on, even find somebody else. Not in this shit life."

"Hm," was all Daryl said afterwards.

With the silence, Elena's mind wandered as she thought about herself, and the hopeful plans for the future she use to have. Finding someone, falling in love, getting married, having children... Those plans were no longer on the table anymore, and they probably never will be. At least Lori and Rick had their moment. And Glenn and Maggie found each other also.

Elena looked toward Daryl for a second longer than was necessary.

Daryl could see her in the corner of his eye, and met her gaze as she stared at him. "What?"

She looked away quickly, lifting her hand to her face, and if Daryl didn't know any better, he'd think she was trying to hide behind it.

"Nothing," she said. "I'm going to try again, see if I can catch some sleep. Good night."

Daryl cocked up a brow as she turned away. "G'night." Daryl watched her go, still confused at how fast she retreated before shaking his head and scoffed. "Women."

* * *

"There's a middle school, just off the highway," Glenn said, pointing toward a position on the map that laid flat on the Hyundai's roof. "Maybe the FEMA set up there too, like that high school back near Hershel's farm. We'll find medical supplies, maybe a stocked cafeteria."

"That high school was overrun," Rick replied. "How can we be sure this one won't be too?"

"We can't," Daryl said, leaning against the car. "We can check it out, see what it's all 'bout."

Rick contemplated for a second. "We'll circle around, check the perimeter. If there's too many walkers to handle we'll keep goin'."

"Sounds like a plan." Glenn began rolling up the map.

"Dad?"

Rick looked toward his son, who adjusted the Sheriff's hat over his head. Rick gestured for Carl to come toward him, placing a hand on his back, guiding him away from the group.

"I want to come with you," Carl said. "Help out take down walkers, protect the group."

Rick placed a hand on his hip, looking toward Lori who was sitting in the truck. "We'll see how bad it is first. Then I'll make a decision." He gave him a small smile, giving him an affectionate pat on the shoulder. "Go on."

Carl smiled also, and made his way back to the truck, where Elena opened the back seat door for him and let him enter.

The group set off toward the direction of the middle school, the day still early. Rick ordered for them to stop parked at least thirty minutes away, in case they were to be surprisingly overrun again. "We gotta move as much as we can into the truck, so we can take the car," he had said. They didn't have many supplies to begin with, so emptying out the Hyundai was an easy task.

"Alright, it'll be me, Daryl, T-Dog and Glenn. We'll go in, check the area outside the school. If it's empty, we'll check the entrances, see if any walkers may have gotten in or out."

"If Glenn's goin' I am too," Maggie said, stepping along side him.

Rick shook his head. "Maggie I need you to stay here. You've become good against the walkers, I need you to stay and protect the others."

Maggie opened her mouth to argue when Glenn gently grabbed her arm and smiled at her. "I'll be okay."

"Lemme join this," Elena said. "I'm fast on my feet, I can go in quick, check if the inside is secure."

"I want us to go in as a group, I don't want anyone goin' in alone," Rick explained.

"Rick, please, lemme in on this," she whispered to him. "I need the practice, you benched me for too long."

Rick sighed, always feeling like Elena had a way of suckering him into agree. "Alright, but don't fire your gun unless you are sure."

Elena nodded at him. She caught Maggie's eye, who folded her arms in front of her, probably disliking the fact Elena was allowed to go and Maggie was told to stay. Elena tried to shrug it off and not worry about it.

"Dad, I want to come," Carl spoke up, coming up to Rick's side.

"Sure yer up to it, lil' man?" Daryl asked him.

Elena looked back at Rick, who stared at his son for a long time. "Okay. Go get the gun I gave you."

"Rick, can I talk to you? _Alone_?"

Everyone looked toward Lori, standing by the car, her eyes wide on Rick, her lips a tight line.

Rick looked back at the group. "We go in five."

Rick made his way toward his wife, who looked beyond angry at him. "Are you crazy? Carl is not going with you."

He stayed calm. "He asked me, said he wanted to learn to protect the group."

"He is only a _child_."

"Look around, Lori. What childhood does he have?"

Lori shook her head. "I won't allow it—"

"Mom," Carl said, cutting off his mother. "It'll be okay. I'll stay by dad the entire time."

"No."

"The boy needs to learn how to protect himself," Rick said.

Lori narrowed her eyes on him. "You're going to argue with me on this? He's not going and that's final!"

"But mom—"

Lori turned on Carl quickly, "Carl, go sit in the car. Now."

Carl sighed in annoyance and walked away, just when Elena was walking to him. Elena smiled toward him but he didn't return it.

"What's wrong?" she asked him.

Carl looked back toward his parents. By their body language and loud whispers Elena knew they were arguing. She bent down to his level, in order to see his face fully under the hat.

"You know, my parents used to fight all the time. But it was their way of showing how much they loved each other."

Carl looked at her, pursing his lips to her words, when they both heard the slam of car door. When they both looked up, Rick was walking toward them.

"Carl, go get your gun," Rick told his son. Carl gave a slight smile, and ran to the backseat of the truck.

Elena stood back up, confused. "He's coming with us?"

Rick looked at her, then back in the truck. Elena followed his gaze, toward Lori, sitting in the passenger seat, heavy eyes on him. Rick looked away, his hand on his holster. He walked toward the Hyundai, opening the passenger door more forcefully than necessary and entered. Elena went toward the passenger side of the truck, knocking on the window. Lori looked at her, her eyes going soft before she rolled down the window.

"I'll make sure I watch over him, okay? No need to worry. We're only checking it out anyway, if it's too dangerous, we'll come back."

"Please do," Lori said. "Don't take your eyes off him for a minute."

Elena nodded her head and walked back to the Hyundai, where Glenn gave Maggie a quick kiss and entered in. "Be careful," she heard Carol tell Daryl resting her hand on his shoulder before walking back, nodding her head to Elena as she passed. For a split second, Elena wondered what their relationship was, but before she had the chance, Daryl opened the door to the back seat, nodding for her to get in.

"Yer sittin' in the middle," he said.

Elena frowned expectantly. "Damn, I wanted window seat."

Carl suddenly ran past her, getting into the car and Elena realized the back seat was going to be tight. She entered in after him, Daryl following after, squishing her between him and Carl.

"T-Dog!" Rick shouted out the window.

He came running, entering through the driver's side and starting the engine, Beth, Maggie, Hershel and Carol watching them leave. T-Dog drove down the road, with the direction from Glenn toward the middle school. Elena leaned toward Daryl to look out the window at the abandoned cars and trash on the streets. She felt Daryl tense up beside her and she leaned back automatically. Elena watched him in her peripheral vision. His window was opened, and he had his arm hanging out of it.

When Elena thought about it again, she remembered thinking Daryl wasn't conventionally handsome, but there was something interesting about him. Then, she didn't know why, but nowadays she wondered if she actually was attracted to him. Not saying that Daryl was a bad looking man, on the contrary he had a charm to him. Something that may have been easily missed if she had walked passed him down the street, before the walkers came and infested them. Day by day Elena admired his cool composure, and she always felt at ease with him. She wasn't exactly sure as to why. It was something that Daryl did to her that made her feel less victimized in a world of death.

When T-Dog slowed down the car, Elena pushed the thoughts back in her mind and focused on the task at hand. T-Dog moved the car into the parking lot of the school going slow enough in order for the group to analyze the area. A couple of dead walkers were laid spread across the parking lot, but no more to cause alarm. T-Dog stopped in front of the entrance and the group got out. Daryl went around the car, opening the trunk to grab his crossbow. Elena reached in for her crowbar and strode toward the entrance. Daryl followed her. She lifted the thick chains tangled through and around the handle of the doors. She tried to peer inside through the glass but it was too dark to see much.

"What do we got?" Rick asked, coming up behind her.

"Entrance is chained up, which could mean two things: they wanted to keep something out, or to keep something in," she replied.

"I really don't like the sound of that," Glenn said and swallowed.

"Lets go around, see if we can find another way in," Rick spoke and began walking. "Stay close to me, Carl."

"Do you think it's such a great idea to bring Carl with us?" Glenn whispered toward Elena and Daryl as they began walking.

"Kid gotta learn to defend 'imself," Daryl said.

"Guys," T-Dog called to them as they rounded the corner, finding a side entrance.

Rick reached for the door, opening it slowly and finding it unlocked. He looked at Daryl, gesturing for him to come closer. Daryl did, his crossbow raised as they entered. The halls were dark as they went in, both silent and empty. The walked in slowly, analyzing every inch of the area for any sign of danger.

"Should we split up?" Glenn asked quietly. "Cover more ground?"

"No one's splittin' up," Rick replied sternly. "We stick together."

Elena walked behind Daryl, making sure she was by Carl's side, who was surprisingly calm the entire time. When they heard a faint nose in the distance, everyone straightened up, straining their ears. But there was nothing. Daryl rounded a corner, past doors that possibly led to classrooms. Elena looked toward a set of doors to her left, one slightly ajar. She thought she saw movement when Daryl walked passed it and immediately she grabbed his arm, pulling him with her. Two walkers jumped out from behind the doors, between her and Daryl and the others.

"Back! Back!" Rick yelled.

Daryl fired an arrow, getting one in the back of the head, when the door swung and more began spilling out. Elena took one down that was coming for them with her crowbar. She felt Daryl grab her arm and began backing up.

"Too many of 'em."

"But the others...?" She looked toward the throng of walkers, some walking toward her and Daryl, others moving toward Glenn, T-Dog, Rick and Carl.

"Daryl! Circle around back, find another way out!" Rick yelled over the crowd of walkers.

"C'mon." Daryl placed his hand on Elena's back easing her forward down the hall.

Elena began running, hoping the others would be okay. She skid on the tiled floors as she rounded a corner, Daryl hot on her feet, followed by moans and shuffling feet. Elena then slowed down, her eyes on the sight of two crouched figures over a body sprawled out on the ground, blood beneath them. When the heel of her boot squealed against the friction on the tiled floor, one figure turned its head up staring around, pieces of flesh it it's teeth. When it stood, it's back toward her, Elena recognized it as a child.

Elena gasped involuntarily, immediately cut off when a hand slapped over her mouth, an arm wrapped around her waist when she was pulled through a door.

"Shhh," Daryl whispered in her ear as he held her, his back leaning against the closed door to the classroom they entered. He bent down, lowering himself away from the translucent glass so the walkers wouldn't see their shadows, Elena sitting between his legs, her back pressed up against him.

They heard moans behind the door and the staggering of feet. Elena closed her eyes, both hands on her crowbar. Daryl still had his hand over her mouth, his arm, holding his crossbow, around her waist as he leaned his ear against the door, listening for the distance the walkers were in. Elena tried to breathe slowly, her heartbeat fast.

She had seen many walkers. Men, women, teenagers, adults, seniors. But it was the first time she ever seen a child. And one so young.

When the footsteps were faint, Daryl loosened his grip on Elena, taking his hand away from her lips, but she didn't move.

Elena tried to gather herself, rubbing at her eyes, trying to remember why they were there in the first place. She took in a deep breath and got up, Daryl following her lead.

"They came from the cafeteria," she whispered to him.

"Should find the others," Daryl told her, opening the door slowly, looking out.

Elena placed her hand on his shoulder and he turned to look at her. She nodded her head for him to go and he went, lifting up the crossbow in his hands. Elena exited also, into the now empty hall. The two doubled back, slowly going back down the hall they came from, just in case there was any stragglers around. The doors to the cafeteria were wide open, and Elena couldn't help but peer in as they passed.

She stopped dead in her tracks.

Daryl did a double take when he realized she stopped. He took a step toward her to pull her back along when he realized what she was staring at.

Cafeteria tables were toppled over, blood splattered almost everywhere. On the walls, tables, floors. But worst of all, the amount of bodies that littered the floors. A lot of them small. Children.

Elena placed a hand over her mouth, tears reaching her eyes.

"Don' look," Daryl spoke softly, grabbing her wrist and gently pulling her back. Elena turned away and continued back into the hall. Daryl took one final look in the cafeteria, a frown on his lips, a sadness overcoming his mind. He walked away, following after Elena.

Elena turned the corner that led to the door they came from. Walkers were there, banging their fists against it.

"Go, go," Daryl whispered to her, pushing her along. They needed to find another way out.

They both jogged on their feet, finding both an exit and any signs of the others. Judging by the walkers at the doors, they may have gotten out. Hopefully all of them.

At that moment, a gunshot echoed in the halls, followed by another. Elena and Daryl both exchanged looks before running toward the source. When they followed the hall, they discovered two dead walkers laying on the floor, blood pouring from their head. Daryl placed a hand on Elena's back, making her go forward again. Turning a corner, light illuminated the halls. To their left was a set of windows. Moans could be heard and they looked in the distance where a crowd of walkers were stumbling forward, their backs to them. Over their heads they saw sparks of light at the same moment a sound from a gunshot exploded.

"Carl!" They heard Rick yell.

"We need to distract them," Elena said, looking at Daryl. "Give Rick and Carl a chance to run." She took a few steps toward the crowd, keeping a safe distance in between. "Hey!" she yelled at them. "Hey, shit for brains!"

A few of the walkers turned at her voice and came toward her.

"C'mon you ugly son of a bitch," Daryl said, pulling his knife out, starting to taunt the walkers.

Elena swung her crowbar at a walker, the body dropped. Daryl jumped in, grabbing another walker from the collar, piercing his hunting knife into the skull. At the sound of their attack, more walkers turned back, moving on to the human meat that seemed easier prey. Elena and Daryl began backing up, just when in the corner of her eye, did she see walkers behind them.

"Shit."

Elena turned, her crowbar ready. She recognized them as the walkers that were banging at the door, probably drawn by the gunshots. Elena shot her sights on each one, trying to decide which to attack first, but they were all lined up along side each other. If she went in for the kill, another walker could take the opportunity to take a bite out of her. With no other choice, Elena pulled out the pistol from her waistband and aimed as she switched the safety off. She pulled the trigger, the bullet hitting a walker through the chin.

"Shit. _Shit_."

"Line up the sights!" Daryl yelled at her.

Elena looked at him then, losing the oxygen in her lungs. "Daryl!"

A walker was behind him, reaching out as he had been distracted with paying attention to her aim. She lined the barrel toward the walker, quickly pulling the trigger.

The walker dropped, a bullet in it's head. Elena looked up toward Daryl, her expression filled with surprised accomplishment. Daryl gave a slight grin. Elena turned around, her gun aimed. She popped four more in the head, each shot more centred than the last. Elena looked to her right, through the windows when she saw the movement of a car. The Hyundai was out in the parking lot, Glenn and T-Dog jumping out, screaming toward something she couldn't see. It was then did she see Carl and Rick running.

"Daryl, they got out!"

"Good for 'em. Now its our turn."

Elena looked forward, then back to the walkers behind them. There was no gap in between the walkers and the small hall they could pass through. She then looked back at the window, realizing her stupidity, before lifting her gun, aiming at it and shooting. The glass shattered.

"C'mon!" she yelled to Daryl, ignoring the outstretched hands of walkers behind them, placing her foot on the window sill and jumping out. Elena suppressed a cry with clenched teeth as her wrist nicked against broken glass that was still intact on the window's frame. She jumped down, switching her crowbar in her hands to hold down the bleeding in her wrist and began running, making sure Daryl was right behind her.

"Glenn! Rick!" she shouted at them, getting their attention.

"Hurry! C'mon, c'mon!" Glenn shouted back, shooting back at the walkers behind them that began spilling out of the broken window. T-Dog helped aim also, along with Rick. When Daryl and her reached the car, everyone quickly jumped in, the two going into the back seat with Glenn and Carl, T-Dog and Rick in the front. T-Dog revved the engine, squealing the tires as he sped out from the parking lot.

Elena was trying to catch her breath, feeling a dull pain on her wrist. She felt hands on it then, and drew her attention on Daryl, who pulled her hand away that was holding the bleeding down, his rough hands surprisingly gentle. Elena looked down at the gash across her wrist. It looked a lot more worse than it felt.

Daryl pulled a red handkerchief from his back pocket, and began wrapping it around the gash, his hands slow and careful. Elena didn't say anything, only watched him.

"We have to warn the others," T-Dog spoke up. "We got a whole herd following us."

"...Did you guys see the bodies in the cafeteria?" Glenn then whispered.

Everyone's expression turned grave then and no one spoke, a silence enveloping the air in the car. T-Dog continued to drive, heightening his speed, leading back to the others.

When they returned back, Rick yelled at the others to get in the truck and that they were leaving. Daryl had jumped out, running to his motorcycle, getting the engine ready. Lori was yelling at Rick, asking for Carl and Rick reassured her that he was fine and safe in the car. Everyone began pulling out and back down the road quickly. Far in the distance, in their rear view mirrors, they could see the herd following. The group went as fast as they could, making some turns in order to lose their trail away from the walkers. Elena kept looking back, seeing if she could see the walkers but she didn't see anything then, just an empty road. During the ride Carl had asked if she was alright, motioning toward her wrist wrapped in Daryl's handkerchief. Elena noticed a bright expression on his face instead of one of worry at the herd following them. Elena paid no mind, reassuring to him that she was okay.

When the group reached an open area within an intersection, the cars slowed and stopped and everyone stepped out to gather themselves.

"Carl!" Lori called out, running to him as he stepped out of the car after Elena. She wrapped her arms tightly around him, looking as if she'd never let him go. She pulled him back at arm's length, looking him over.

"Mom, I'm okay," he said with a grin. "I killed some walkers."

Lori looked at him with wide eyes, then back at Rick who walked toward him.

"Probably saved my life too," Rick said, placing a hand on the hat on Carl's head, giving him a gentle smile.

"What the hell happened?"

"The school was overrun by walkers," Glenn answered her as he approached, Maggie already in his arms. He pulled away from her, looking at Lori. "We were ambushed from the inside."

Elena looked at Lori who almost looked ready to cry over the fact that she could have lost her little boy. Daryl was then beside Elena and grabbed her wrist.

"Hey Doc, over here," he called out toward Hershel.

"Daryl, I'm fine," Elena told him. "It's nothing."

"Shut up," he said to her quietly as Hershel approached.

"What do we got here?" he asked.

Daryl pulled his handkerchief off, revealing the bloody gash on her wrist. "Cut 'erself on some glass."

Hershel examined it closely in his hands, tilting her wrist to get a better look. "The cut doesn't appear to be too deep. But you might need a couple stitches."

Elena sighed at that. Hershel instructed her to sit out of the car as he went to get the medical supplies. He returned shortly after, cleaning up the wound, before puncturing the skin with a needle and thread. Elena winced and bit her lip, trying to focus on something else. She noticed Daryl was still by her side, leaning against the opened door of the car, watching Hershel close her wound.

Daryl's eyes then met hers, a grin tugging at the corner of his lips. "Saved my ass this time."

Elena smiled at him, strangely feeling her cheeks go hot. "My aiming got better, thanks to you."

Daryl laughed a little. "S'not _bad_."


	7. Chapter 7

**Ohh boy. Had to write this one quickly because it was an exciting one to do. And especially after yesterdays episode I'm still pumping with adrenaline. I hope this one meets your expectations. You all have been kind with revieaw and I thank those that have been following! You guys are awesome!**

**I take no credit for characters with an exception to Elena Lima and Toni Galvin.**

* * *

Daryl brushed through the leaves, manoeuvring around the trees as he scanned the ground for anything that looked remotely disturbed in the last few hours. Hearing the shuffling of feet behind him, Daryl could only blow out an exasperated breath. He would have preferred to go hunting on his own, but Rick insisted that no one was to go far from the cars without someone to watch their back. Daryl didn't need Glenn to come with him, he could handle himself without the Asian boy. If anyone were to come with him, he'd rather it be Elena, at least she was quiet on her feet.

Only problem was, she was distracting as hell.

Daryl thought, after Toni had died she would have stopped talking to him. Hell, he was the one that told him to back off when he tried to apologize to her. But she didn't. If anything she talked to him more. He waited, waited for her friendliest to evaporate, waited to be able to see a crack through it. For some sort of indication. But what was he looking for? To finally find evidence that she was fake? To finally find a reason to stop thinking about her?

Because that's all he did.

It was different when he was vacating the houses from walkers, or killing any that may have stridden on their path while they took rest somewhere. During those times he could focus. But when he wasn't on watch and expected to get a few hours of rest, his mind involuntarily wandered toward her. It annoyed him beyond belief, the fact that she could control his thoughts that way. But he _liked_ talking to her, which wasn't something he was used to. Daryl was different from the others, this he had no illusions about. He knew. But there was a part of him that wanted to belong with them, because he never belonged anywhere. Not at home, sometimes not even with his brother.

During the search for Sophia, he had this sense of worth, like he was actually doing something that would make him valued. And Carol made him feel that way. He wanted to find that little girl, to prove something to himself that he was worth _something_. But it was when they found Sophia, in the barn, the way that she was, did he give up. What was he even doing hanging around these people that didn't give a shit about him? They didn't need him, they had Rick and Shane. Daryl wanted to leave. He was better off on his own, it was Carol that was the only one that came to him, asking him to stay. He snapped then. Why did this woman try so hard to make him understand that he was wanted? There was a lot of things he said to Carol then, things that he may have taken back if he could. She was trying to help him understand that he earned his place.

Daryl could see it now. Rick looked to him about his plans, looked to him like a replacement for Shane. Like he could be second in command. Daryl didn't know how he felt about that. He was always at the sidelines, going along with whatever Merle decided. Now he was being looked at for help with the decisions, he was being looked at as if he were needed. He never had that before, it was the reason he stayed long enough. And with Elena added in the picture, it was a whole lot for Daryl to take in.

She was definitely beautiful, something he for sure wouldn't confess out loud. And she knew how to take care of herself against the walkers. She didn't let fear stop her. This was something he found attractive about her. But even then, at some cases, Daryl didn't mind protecting her, making sure she was safe. Maybe it was because every time she was grateful and always thanked him for it. He wished she wouldn't, but he found himself liking being told he was doing something meaningful.

And that's where it had to stop. He didn't want things to get complicated. She didn't want him, her standards could be much higher than that, even in the end of the world. What did he expect? They'd become like Glenn and Maggie? Hell no. Daryl wasn't boyfriend material, didn't even know how to be. He fooled around in the past, sure, but not as much as his brother did. Being affectionate and intimate... He didn't know how to do that. All it would be was trial and error, and Daryl didn't have the motivation to be rejected. Screw it, why even try? He only wished that she'd stop making conversation with him, because in the end there was always that little voice in his head saying he wanted her. But he never had the heart to tell her to leave him alone, because as much as he hated wanting her, he couldn't bring himself to push her away.

* * *

Elena squeezed the water out of her long dark hair that had rinsed away the little soap she could use to wash it. She forgot what it was like to take a real shower. Now she had to make do with washing her hair with little water and soap and hope that she would have the chance to clean the rest of the dirt from her body some other time. But they weren't so lucky.

"You have beautiful hair," Carol told her, handing her a dry towel.

Elena took it with a smile. "Thank you, although I think it would be more practical to have it as short as yours."

Carol laughed a little. "You could always cut it. But I don't think any of us is qualified as a hair dresser here."

"It wouldn't matter anyway, no point in trying to make yourself pretty nowadays."

"So then what are you waiting for?"

Elena thought about that, resting the towel around her shoulders so her hair wouldn't wet her clothes. "I don't know...I guess, as stupid as it might sound, it would be like cutting away the person I use to be, y'know? Before all this started, I always loved my hair long. I just can't bring myself to lose that about myself too."

Carol's brows rose as she shook her head. "I don't think that's stupid at all."

Elena could only grin. She liked Carol, she was kind and had a good heart. Her mind went back to Daryl's words, about that night she asked him what happened within the group, where he told her about Shane, and Carol losing her little girl. Elena didn't want to pity her, it wouldn't have done her any favours, as much as she wouldn't like the others pitying her about losing Toni. Carol was strong, and Elena could see that now. No mother should have to bury their child.

"Yo, ladies!" The two looked toward T-Dog, who was waving his arm at them. "Glenn and Daryl are back. We're leaving."

Elena wrapped her hair in the towel as she walked with Carol back toward the cars. Glenn and Daryl stood there, dirty from the hike and also empty handed.

"Hard to hunt 'round here with nearby walkers scarin' everythin' away," Daryl told Rick, looking less than pleased.

Rick sighed and Elena noticed he looked more tired than usual. "It's alright, we still have enough food that could last us a week or two."

"I don' know 'bout you, but I'm gettin' sick of the canned shit. Need to cook me some meat soon," Daryl said as he placed his crossbow over his shoulder and walked to his motorcycle.

Rick didn't have much reaction to that, knowing full well that Daryl was a hunter and he liked his meat and he was only voicing his thoughts rather than specifically complaining to him.

"The one thing I realized going out there with Daryl is that I _really_ suck at hunting," Glenn then said.

The others laughed at that. "No, yer much more better as walker bait," Maggie told him with a grin.

"Ha ha," he said sarcastically as he followed her toward the car.

Hershel then came walking toward Rick, just as everyone was getting set to go. "We need to find a good place to scavenge supplies, we're running low on a lot of things, food is one of them."

"I know," Rick whispered, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Hershel then placed a hand on his shoulder. "You carry a heavy burden, Rick. But we will follow your decision without question."

Rick looked at him then, and could only nod his head with gratitude.

* * *

Rick hated driving sometimes, it always gave him too much time to think. About where they were going, what they were going to do, how he could protect everyone. And how his marriage was at a stand still. Lori had barely talked to him since the middle school incident. She still stood by her decision even though Carl had returned back unscathed. Rick was proud of his son then. Carl had taken the initiative and killed two walkers without his father's direction, giving them the chance they needed to escape. He was brave and level headed. In these past months, Rick had seen him grow faster than he had the years before. But Lori still saw him as her little boy.

And that's why their arguments had started. Lori wanted him to agree with her that Carl was not to go to another walker scouting, but Rick couldn't agree with that. He wanted Carl to go, to expose himself so he would learn how to protect both him and the others because Rick couldn't promise he would be able to protect the group forever.

Rick glanced toward his right as he followed behind the Hyundai, before he straightened up. He honked his horn, signalling to the others and getting confused looks from Lori, Carl, Elena and T-Dog. Rick moved the truck alongside the Hyundai with his window rolled down.

"Pit stop?" Glenn asked through the passenger side of the car.

"There's a large retail store over there, best thing we've seen in a couple of hours," Rick said. "We're headin' on over there."

Glenn nodded his head and Daryl revved up his engine, going down the road to make the turn toward the store.

When they approached the wide set parking lot, deja vu of the middle school came back to Rick. The parking lot was empty, minus the few cars around.

"T-Dog," he said, gesturing for him to follow him. When Rick got out of this truck, he looked back at Lori, Carl and Elena. "Stay here."

"I don't know, man," T-Dog spoke. "It's like the middle school all over again."

Rick didn't say anything as he walked toward the front doors, Daryl also walking with them, while the others stayed in the cars. Rick searched the doors, expecting to see them chained locked but they weren't. He reached for a handle and pulled but the doors wouldn't budge. Daryl peered inside, where he could see within the dim light, a store that looked remotely untouched.

Rick almost wanted to sigh with relief. If this place was safe, they could stay, maybe not forever, but long enough. This place would have food, new clothes, blankets, towels. Things they would need for the winter.

"Let's go around back," Rick said. "See if we can find a staff entrance."

"We checking it out?" Glenn asked, popping his head out his window. Rick nodded to him before running back to the truck.

They moved around the large building slowly, analyzing the area at a closer look for any sign of compromise. But there was none and Rick, for the first time in weeks, had a spur of hope.

When they found the entrance, Rick instructed Daryl and Glenn to park their vehicles on the side, within a safe distance from the entrance, just in case. The entrance was locked. Rick didn't want to have to break it, if they were going to stay there for a couple days he wanted to at least have all security intact, but there was no other way in.

"Elena," he called out to her. "Crowbar?"

"Right." She threw it to him.

Rick had the staff entrance open in a snap and him and Daryl entered slowly in while the others were to wait outside.

"We could stay here, if it's safe," Beth whispered to her father, who wrapped an arm around her.

Elena was anxious then, as she waited for the two to returned. The store was big, the chances of a herd being in there, for whatever reason, could be high. Biding her time, she began looking into the abandoned cars that were parked near by, one of them being a white van, it's windows were tinted.

"This is nice."

Elena turned to Glenn's voice looking into the interior of what looked to be a suit up Toyota Corolla. She stepped up along side him, looking inside. It was a regular bachelor's car, leather seats and everything. Looking in the front seat, she noticed keys were left there. Elena reached for the doors handle, but it was locked. She wondered if this car was owned by one of the employees that may have worked in the store.

Rick then stepped out of the door, waving for everyone to enter. Each member of the group had to be armed, something that Rick made sure about. They walked through the backroom, that was merely empty, with an exception to the few stacks of boxes. Daryl was at the front of the line, guiding the group toward another door. Rick was by his side, nodding him to open it and they both stepped in, alert. They took their time looking, until Rick gave the go ahead for everyone to follow. They stepped out into the open area of the entire store, separated by clothes, food, electronics and hardware. It was like a regular Walmart.

"Look at this place," Lori whispered, her hand on Carl's back. She didn't say it, but it was like a goldmine.

Rick wanted to smile.

He looked back at the others. "I want everyone to stay close in sight of each other, gather things we need and meet back here. If anyone sees any walkers, you take them down quietly, we can't risk makin' any noise." Everyone nodded their head, and began walking in close proximity of each other, but for once with a sense of freedom.

Elena walked with Glenn and Maggie toward the racks of clothes when she noticed that Daryl was following with them also. She had been surprised, expecting him to go off on his own.

"This is crazy," Glenn said. "Look at all this stuff. I feel like I'm in Walmart." Maggie shook her head at him.

"Don' get excited," Daryl then said. "Walkers could be in here."

Elena thought the same thing, especially after their experience in the middle school. Nothing was as safe as it appeared, but as she looked around she couldn't help but feel like this store reminded her of the old times, when things were normal. Elena looked through the racks of woman's apparel, grabbing a black zipped up hoodie from a hangar. She set down her crowbar, and slipped her arms through it, to see how it fit.

"Shoppin'?" Daryl was suddenly looking at her with a cocked up brow.

"Days are getting colder," she explained, "it wouldn't hurt to have warmer clothes." She looked around, her eyes set on a tanned coloured poncho, with intricate red, blue and orange designs. She grabbed it, feeling the soft fabric. "Hey, Daryl, would you wear this?"

Daryl looked at her, then down to her hands, holding the poncho. He scoffed and looked away, continuing on. Elena smiled anyway, something about it making her think it would really suit him. Plus it was warm. Elena grabbed a backpack from another rack, which was probably suppose to be the back to school section, and folded the poncho, shoving it in. She took the bag with her, taking more clothes as she passed them, some for herself and for the others. She threw the bag over her shoulder, looking back to see Maggie and Glenn holding hands, enjoying each other's company as they looked through things. Elena didn't want to disturb them, knowing that they barely ever had privacy. In the distance, she could see Daryl looking through the isles, his crossbow still readied in his hands. She jogged to catch up with him just as he entered an isle. The shelves were stocked with hunting gear, but unfortunately there were no artillery they could use, only nets, fishing rods and rows of gutting knives.

Elena looked over the knives, all shaped differently, locked away behind a glass case. She felt Daryl beside her, looking in the case too.

"That's a good one," he whispered, jerking his chin toward the knife she'd been looking at. It looked to be a switch blade, the blade it self curved backward at the point, meant to remove the insides of fish easier, she assumed.

"The case is—"

Daryl smashed the case with the butt of his crossbow before she could finish her sentence. He grabbed the knife, careful of the glass, switching the blade into the handle and threw it to her. He looked at her for a second longer, then down to her bandaged wrist.

"How's that cut?" he asked when he turned around, more to make conversation rather than curiousity, Elena thought.

She followed after him, looking at the knife he gave her before shoving it in her pocket. "Still kinda hurts when I stretch it. Other than that, it's fine."

"Mmhm," he hummed then stopped walking.

Elena then smelled it, the all familiar smell of decomposed flesh. She went up behind Daryl, looking over his shoulder as he aimed his crossbow toward a walker that was sat down on the floor, his back against the shelves. Daryl kicked it's ankle, his crossbow still aimed. The walker hissed, lifting its head, but it seemed a lot less mobile than walkers they had encountered before. Daryl looked back to Elena, and lowered his crossbow, gesturing toward the walker with a jerk of his head.

"Try out the knife," he told her.

"Oh," was all she said, reaching in her pocket for the switch blade.

She flicked the blade out, switching her crowbar into her left hand for the knife now in her right. The walker lifted its hand toward her slowly as she took a step forward, it quietly hissing. Elena took in a breath before piercing the blade into the walkers skull, twisting it until it went limp. She then pulled at the knife, but she couldn't pry it out. Annoyed, Elena placed her foot against the walker's chest and pulled, the knife slipping out, making her lose her balance. But Daryl had his hand on her back, steadying her. He pulled away just as quickly and bent down to look over the walker. He reached toward its shirt, his hand tilting the name tag that was pinned at its left breast with the name Richard.

"He worked here."

"Yeah, bastard must've been here for while," Daryl replied.

"How'd he die?" Elena asked, bending down beside him as she wiped her blade on her pants. "Couldn't have starved."

"He was bit." Daryl pointed toward the punctured teeth marks on his side.

Elena sighed and stood up. "Hopefully he wasn't bit in here, otherwise there has to be others."

"One way to find out." Daryl stood also, and walked. "C'mon."

* * *

Rick looked behind him, Lori and Carol filling baskets full of food that hadn't expired, along with cases of water. He had been looking around for any sign that someone could have broken in there at all but there was none, and Rick could hardly believe it. This place was almost fully stocked, enough for them to last a whole winter. Rick moved along, away from the others when he felt a presence beside him. He looked down toward Carl who walked with him, down the isles of the sporting equipment. Carl grabbed an aluminium bat, swinging it slowly, testing it out.

"Can we use this against the walkers?" Carl asked him.

Rick took it from his hands as he put away his knife, testing his grip on it. "Yeah."

Carl smiled, liking the fact he had found another weapon to add to their arsenal.

"C'mon, lets find some flashlights and batteries," Rick told him, placing a hand on his back.

It didn't take them long to find them in the electronic section, looking which ones would be better and brighter and would take less battery life.

"Dad, is there a washroom here?" Carl asked him after a while, looking uncomfortable.

Rick looked in the distance, seeing the signs. It was a strange question to ask, considering they hadn't used a regular toilet since they were at the farm, but the comfort of being able to use one again could be understood. Rick thought about going with him, then decided against it. If there was any danger, they would have found it by now and Carl needed to learn to be independent. Rick pointed toward the restroom sign.

"Keep your gun with you," he said.

Carl nodded his head, holding the gun in his hand and making his way to the restrooms. The gun wasn't really his, he had taken it from Daryl's motorcycle when they were back in the farm, and Carl had been surprised that Daryl still didn't know. Carl was sometimes afraid of holding it in front of him, worried that Daryl would be pissed he had went through his things. But he hadn't. Carl found he was a lot more comfortable with the weapon, especially after they went to the middle school. He had been scared but after killing a walker he had this surge of courage blow through him. He didn't feel afraid of them anymore, and Carl knew he shouldn't, especially what had happened with Dale.

He still felt like it was his fault. He acted like a scared little boy and ran from the walker and because of that Dale died. Carl couldn't be like that anymore. He had to be like his dad and be brave. Shane's words still echoed in his mind. "Stop trying to get yourself killed, man," he told him. Carl hated him then, but only because he was right. Carl needed to step up, and become a man. He couldn't be a little boy anymore.

Carl walked down the isles his gun raised. He couldn't lower his guard, he never could. Now he needed to learn to be always on the alert.

Carl took a turn, finding the doors that led to the rest room but he slowed his steps.

Along the white floor was a big streak of red that led toward the doors. Carl bent down to it, touching it with his figure tips. It was dry. He then looked toward the doors and saw chains at the foot of it. Carl touched it, along with the opened padlock. Carl furrow his brow and jumped back when he heard movement beyond the doors, his gun already aimed. He could hear his heartbeat in his ears, and he tried to take even breaths, thinking of what his dad would do. The old Carl would have ran back to his father and told him. But Carl thought. What if it was nothing? Then he would have caused a commotion for no reason. Carl had to be sure first.

He took his time before reaching for the door handle. Carl entered within a hall, where the dried blood trail led. On the walls were arrow signs, telling him the restroom was down there. Carl jumped when the door shut loudly behind him, and he shook his head, until a figure stepped from around the corner down the hall. Carl swallowed as the figure stumbled around, holding onto the wall as it walked. Lifting his gun, Carl steadied his aim, lining up the sights toward the walker. He pulled the trigger and the walker dropped. Carl lowered his gun, a smile on his face until he heard moaning. Another walker stepped around the corner, followed by another. Carl aimed his gun, ready to take these down too, to make his father proud, but as his finger hovered over the trigger, more walkers came around the corner, more than he can count. Carl took a step back, he couldn't take them all down.

He knew he had to pick his battles. Carl had to warn the others. He turned and pushed out the set of doors just as the walkers were growling behind him. His eyes caught the chains and lock. What if he just locked them in? Carl grabbed the pile of chains, until he noticed they were broken up into pieces. Carl furrowed his brow and dropped them. He had to find his dad.

* * *

"Carl!" Rick called down, looking all around.

"Rick, was that gunshot you?" Lori asked him, running to him. When her eyes wandered around him, her eyes grew wide. "Where's Carl?"

Rick didn't say anything, his jaw tightening.

"You weren't _watching_ him?" Lori practically shouted.

"Dad!"

The two turned, Carl running toward them. "Oh, thank God," Lori exclaiming, grabbing him but Carl pulled away.

"Dad, there's walkers in the restrooms! A lot of them!" Carl said quickly.

Rick looked toward the restrooms. "Where are the others?"

"We heard the gunshot." Glenn came running to them with Maggie. Just then, behind them came Elena and Daryl also.

"There's walkers in here," Rick informed.

"Daryl and I found only one," Elena stated.

"There was a herd. I swear I saw it!" Carl said.

"How could they have gotten in here?" Carol asked.

"Lets go, we're heading back from where we came," Rick told them and began to jog.

"Rick!" T-Dog called out, pointing toward the direction of the staff doors.

Walkers were walking in their path, staggering about divided, blocking the exit. Rick was out of breath, turning around to the entrance doors. Walkers were there too. He could see from their clothes a lot of them were once employees and civilians.

"Daddy?" Beth spoke, her voice shaky as she stepped closer to Hershel.

"Don't panic," he told her. "Rick?"

"Everyone tight formation!" he yelled at the group.

"We ain't got enough bullets for this many walkers," T-Dog said, aiming his gun from side to side as the walkers were closing in.

"Where are they comin' from?" Maggie exclaimed.

Rick tried to think. They needed to get around the walkers, there was no way they could handle all of them. But the walkers were set in ways that them as a group wouldn't be able to get through safely. He looked back at the entrance. He could shoot the glass doors down, but the walkers were still a problem. He knew eyes were on him, waiting for his plan, his order. Rick got the baseball bat in his hand ready, and the group followed his lead.

Elena stood behind Daryl who was ready with his crossbow to protect the group. But there were way too many walkers for them to handle with guns let alone hand to hand. Elena began looking around. There had to be another way out. There had to be something. Her eyes then glanced at the thin windows that were above the stocked shelves across the store. She could fit through, but she didn't know about the others. It was then then that she thought of something. She looked toward Glenn. He was about the right size too.

She grabbed his arm. "C'mon, I have an idea."

"What?"

"I need your help," she whispered to him desperately.

"We can't just leave, Rick—"

"Look, I don't have time to explain. See those windows over there? I need you to boost me up."

"But the others—"

"Please, Glenn, just trust me. I need your help." She stared at him with pleading eyes.

Glenn looked back toward Maggie and the others. He then nodded and followed after her as she began running. Elena chose him because he was also one of the fastest. Both her and Glenn quickly ran around the walkers, avoiding their outstretched arms, and killing those that got too close. The two ran until they got to the shelves underneath the window. Elena didn't have to tell him when he folded his hands together and bent, giving her the chance to use his hands as a step to climb the shelves. She hoped they were sturdy enough to hold her weight and Glenn's. When she got up she reached her hand toward him and he took it. Elena used all her strength to quickly pull him up just as the walkers were closing in behind them. Elena turned toward the window, swinging her crowbar against it, the glass shattering. She stuck her head out, the distance to the floor outside wasn't too high.

"What are we doing?" Glenn asked her, looking back as he heard gunshots from the group. From this height he could see the whole herd of walkers and he grew wary of leaving them. Leaving Maggie.

"Remember that Corolla we saw? The keys were inside," she answered, and bending, ready to slide through the window.

Glenn still didn't fully understand but when Elena jumped out, all he could think was to follow her lead. Right now, she was the only one that knew what she was doing, and Glenn had to trust that. Glenn, moved his body through the window, careful to not touch the glass and jumped out, landing hard on the ground beneath him. Elena was already there ing him up and started running. Glenn ran after her.

"How...How are you so fast?" Glenn choked out after a while.

Elena looked behind her, seeing he was a few steps behind. She slowed so she was alongside him. "I use to do cross country running. Now, c'mon." She pushed him forward.

When Elena spotted the Corolla she took in a big breath and smashed the driver seat window in and the car alarm started blaring. She reached through the window and unlocked the door, stepping in and grabbing the keys from the seat. She unlocked the passenger side and started going through the keys, her hands a lot more shaky than she realized. When she found the key to the car she entered it in the ignition.

Glenn stepped in the car, the alarm hurting his ears, reminding him back in Atlanta when him and Rick had stolen that red Dodge Challenger. Glenn looked down to the stick, realizing it was a gear shift.

"Can you drive manual?" Glenn asked her.

"Put your seat belt on," was all she said when she slammed her foot on the clutch and turned the key. It took a moment for the car to start up, but when it did, Elena shifted the car to first gear and pushed down on the accelerator, the engine roaring loudly. When Elena let go of the clutch, the car sprung forward, and she shifted it quickly to second gear, then too third, fourth, fifth, causing the tires to screech as she turned.

Glenn felt stupid for doubting her.

* * *

Daryl took down a walker with an arrow as he was backing up. The walkers just kept coming. He then looked behind him to make sure Elena was still close. She wasn't there. Daryl looked along either side of him, but she was no where in sight.

"Elena!" he called out, looking around.

Everyone looked at him them, they too looking around for the girl.

"Glenn? Where's Glenn?" Maggie then asked, looking around her.

Daryl's heartbeat quickened. Where the hell was she? She was right behind him. He was looking around, hoping he wouldn't see her in the clutches of any of walkers approaching.

"Glenn!" Maggie shouted for him, but he didn't answer.

It was then did they hear a horn. A car horn. Along with an alarm going off. The horn sounded a couple of more times, before it went without pause, deafening them.

Rick turned just in time toward the entrance, seeing the headlights.

"_Move_!"

Everyone jumped back just in time as a car crashed through the entrance, shattering the glass, it's engine roaring. But it didn't stop. It continued, hitting walkers in it's path as it did a 360 degree turn, slamming walkers against the side of it and back, creating a path of dismantled and dead walkers.

Elena was breathing heavily, her hand still holding on to the emergency break even though the car had stopped spinning.

Glenn was staring at her with wide eyes, equally as wide as hers. She didn't know how she did that either.

The two immediately jumped out.

"C'mon! C'mon! Lets go!" they both shouted at the group.

Rick stared at them, before he began pushing Carl and Lori forward, and the others began running. Rick looked back, toward the once empty store now covered in walkers, and it was at that moment did he see his hope crumble, before he too ran and followed the others out the entrance.

Elena left the Corolla blaring behind her as she made sure everyone made it out. She began running with the others around the building toward where they left the car, truck and Daryl's motorcycle.

"C'mon guys!" Glenn yelled.

Everyone began jumping into the cars when Daryl suddenly grabbed Elena roughly. He started looked her over, noticing the blood on her clothes from the walkers she had killed just to get to the window.

"I'm fine, Daryl—"

"The hell!" he yelled, pulling away from her. "You can't jus' go runnin' off doin' some kamikaze _bullshit_!"

"I didn't have a choice—" she tried to explain.

"Where the hell were you two!" Rick came shouting, looking toward Elena and Glenn. "I said for everyone to stick together!"

"Don't blame Glenn," Elena replied. "It was my idea, I just thought—"

"You thought wrong!" Rick yelled, taking a step toward her. "No matter the circumstance, the group always stays _together_!"

Elena opened her mouth to say something, shaking her head but no words came out.

"We don't have time for this!" Hershel then shouted.

Rick gave her one final look before entering the truck. Elena swallowed, looking toward Daryl, his expression the same. It was then when she felt a hand on her shoulder, did she turned to Glenn, his expression matching hers.

* * *

Elena made her way outside into the cool night air, leaving the others who were sleeping soundly inside the abandoned hunting shack in the outskirts of the forest they found for the night. She spotted Glenn perched up on the truck, looking out onto the road, a rifle and pole in his lap, keeping watch. Glenn saw her coming and lent out a hand, helping her up. She sat beside him in silence, lifting the hood from her hoodie over her head, and wrapping her arms around her.

"I'm sorry for getting you involved in all this trouble," Elena whispered to him.

Glenn shrugged. "The group is safe, that's all that matters." He looked at her, a small smile on his lips. "Besides you got more of an earful than I did."

Glenn was right, even after they had left the store safely, Rick had a long lecture with her about how the group was suppose to be. Everyone stayed together, no matter what.

"I thought it was a good idea at the time." Elena sighed. "Ended up pissing off Rick _and_ Daryl."

"I was surprised."

"About what?"

"The way Daryl went off on you," Glenn answered.

"What do you mean?" Elena looked at him with confusion. "Wasn't that normal?"

"Not really." Glenn laughed a little. "Maybe it's his weird way of showing he cares."

"Oh."

Glenn looked at her then, his eyes full of questions. Elena looked away, hoping her face wasn't red.

"Holy shit."

"What?"

"Do you actually like Daryl Dixon?"

"_What_?"

Glenn laughed again and Elena glared at him. "I know, I know. Since I'm already taken, I can only understand you'd go for Daryl now."

"Shut up," Elena said, smacking him on the shoulder but couldn't help but laugh.

"But all joking aside," Glenn stated, becoming sober. "I don't care what Rick and Daryl said, you thought fast and probably saved the group. Saved Maggie. Thank you."

Elena smiled. "Really, it was nothing. I wasn't thinking, just went for it. I mean, I even thought, what if the car battery in that Corolla was dead? What then?"

"Don't think that way." Glenn shook his head. "It worked out, that's all that matters."

"That's true," she whispered. "Maggie still not talking to you?"

"No. But she'll come around. Y'know, it's been a while since I've done that 'kamikaze bullshit'." He grinned, trying to make her laugh and succeeding.

"Daryl has a way with words, I'll give him that." From the corner of her eye, she could see Glenn was staring at her. "Don't give me that look."

"Okay, okay. None of my business, sorry." They were silent for a while before Glenn smiled. "But c'mon, _Daryl_?"

"_Glenn._"

He was laughing. "Sorry, _sorry_. You've just been all mopey since we left that store, I wanted to make sure you can still laugh."

Elena shook her head at him, but the smile on her lips stayed there as she placed a hand on his shoulder. "You're a good guy, Glenn."

Despite having been overrun by walkers yet again, at least the group was okay and had escaped the store with some supplies. Daryl and Rick could be mad at her all they wanted, but today was a good day. They didn't lose anybody, and they had to be headed in the right direction. That store was fully stocked, which meant there had to be others nearby too.


	8. Chapter 8

**Well, got a lot of reactions from last chapter about Rick and Daryl going off on Elena. That's good! It means I'm doing my job as a writer right. Here's an early one for you folks! ;) and one that I think you'll like. Enjoy!**

**P.S. So, watching interviews with Norman Reedus, he explains Daryl as a socially awkward virgin. I don't know, I can't see Daryl as a virgin per say, inexperienced maybe. So, yeah thought I'd integrate that.**

**I take no credit for characters besides Elena Lima and Toni Galvin.**

* * *

Elena liked Daryl Dixon.

She _really_ liked him. She felt like an idiot for not noticing sooner. And it had to be Glenn that made her realize. It explained so much. It was the reason she wanted to be near him all the time, it was the reason she liked hearing his voice, it was the reason that living a life of danger and hunger was even bearable. She had doubts at first. Was it because watching Maggie and Glenn made her realize how lonely she was? Daryl deserved better if that was the case. Nobody should be with a person just because they were lonely. But that wasn't it at all. She was attracted to him completely. And he definitely wasn't anywhere close to the guys she had dated back in her old life. They were the clean cut guys, the type that sometimes cared more about their appearance than she did, and she wondered maybe that was the reason it never worked out with any of them. Daryl was different. He was a breath of fresh air.

And he was also not interested.

Maybe he had the right set of mind, thinking about falling in love during the apocalypse was inappropriate and would probably cause problems and drama that was miniscule in comparison to the danger of walkers. It seemed like sometimes he looked uncomfortable with her around and after he went off on her because of her fiasco at the retail store, he barely talked to her. Glenn had said to her that his reaction wasn't normal and had it been anyone else, he probably wouldn't have said what he did. But why her? Elena didn't understand. Daryl probably was only thinking the way Rick was, that the group should stay together. There was nothing special about the way he reacted and she had to stop thinking about it. It was a couple of days ago anyway, no point in lingering on it.

Rick had forgiven her, explaining to her why he reacted the way he did. And Elena understood. Rick was taking the responsibility as leader to keep everyone from danger, and Elena had gone off right into the middle of it. She still couldn't help but think she had still done the right thing, after all they were still breathing weren't they? But Elena couldn't bother to even care about it anymore. What's done was done.

The group was still set up at the abandoned hunting shack they had found that night, finally taking the rest they needed from the days of moving about all the time. Plus, now that they had a good assortment of food, they could afford to relax a couple of days.

Daryl was outside by the cars, setting up his crossbow and arrows, a backpack set beside him with some extra water bottles.

"Going huntin' again?" Rick asked him as he approached.

"Yeah," Daryl answered. "Figured a hunter use to live here, huntin' must've been good 'round here. You comin'?"

"Take Glenn with you," Rick said. "I have things I need to do here."

"Nah. An' I ain't taking T neither. Both of 'em got heavy feet, they'll scare away the food." Daryl threw his bag over his shoulder and picking up his crossbow.

Rick placed his hand on his hips and looked in the distance, toward Elena and Beth who were helping each other clean out the dirt from the groups clothes. "Elena!"

Daryl rolled his eyes then. Anyone but her.

"Yeah?" she asked and came walking toward them, not looking toward Daryl, which annoyed him more than he thought. "What's up?"

"Go with Daryl huntin', your the most quiet." He smiled at her.

Elena nodded slowly, and finally looked at Daryl then, but Daryl avoided her eyes. "Alright, just lemme get my things."

"Make it quick," Daryl said gruffly.

When Elena returned, Daryl was already on his way toward the forest and Elena jogged to catch up. Elena kept a distance away from him, letting him do his thing. Plus, she knew he wasn't pleased it was her that Rick wanted to go with him, so she gave him as much space as she could. It still wasn't easy talking to him.

Elena watched as he scanned the leaves, stopping and bending down, investigating. She only assumed that he pick up the trail of something. Elena looked around through the trees, checking for any walkers that may be wandering around, after all that was the point of her even going with him. Elena couldn't hunt, and couldn't track, but she liked watching Daryl do it. Daryl once didn't mind that she went with him, apparently she was quiet on her feet, unlike the others. But now, he looked like he rather be alone.

Elena held out for a while as the walked, until she couldn't ignore the nagging question anymore. "Are you still mad at me for what happened a couple of days ago?"

She could see Daryl's shoulders stiffen, but he continued walking. Elena waited to hear an answer from him, but after a few minutes passed, she stopped expecting for one.

He then inhaled a big breath and rounded on her. "The hell were you doin' goin' off on yer own?"

Elena jumped at his voice and then sighed. She felt like she had explained this enough times already. "I saw an opportunity and I took it. It was stupid, I know, but everyone got out fine."

"It _was_ stupid. Could've gotten yourself killed!" he yelled, throwing his arm in front of him. "Could've gotten bit. Hell if I would've saved you then!" He turned away from her, walking again.

Elena furrowed her brow, catching up with him. "What the hell are you _so_ angry for?"

He turned on her, taking a step toward her. "'Cause you—!"

Daryl cut himself off and Elena looked at him oddly. His eyes were no longer on her. Suddenly he pushed her back hard against the trees, his body tight against hers.

"Daryl—!"

He put his finger to his lips, his face inches away from hers, silencing her. He then pointed toward his eyes and pointed behind her. Elena then heard the shuffling of leaves, and the sounds of heavy breathing, and she sucked in a breath. Walkers were near them, and judging by the way that Daryl made sure they stayed hidden, there was too many for them to take on on their own.

Elena could hear her heartbeat in her ears, not only from the walkers that were nearby but how close Daryl was against her. Maybe it was the worst time to be thinking about that, but she couldn't help notice the fact his hips were pressed against hers and his chest. And how her body was reacting to this. Like a jolt of electricity, was the best way she could explain it. She swallowed then, and closed her eyes. Daryl was giving off a lot of heat and it was distracting.

Elena tried to pay attention to the walkers she could hear behind her. She couldn't really estimate the amount that was there, they all dragged their feet along the leaves at the same time. It could be ten, fifteen. She wondered too why the walkers always gathered in herds. Was it by instinct? She didn't know.

Daryl watched the walkers walk on by, passed them. There was seventeen of them, staggering about slowly. Luckily they were headed in the direction away from their camp. When the walkers were far enough, Daryl blew out a breath and looked down at Elena, who finally opened her eyes and looked up at him. Hey eyes weren't brown as he remembered, now from this distance he could see specks of green and gold in them.

"Are they gone?" she then whispered, breaking Daryl away from his thoughts.

It was then did he realize his position. He had Elena pinned up against a tree, his hips and chest tight against hers. But when she whispered his name in confusion and suddenly moving against him—probably not purposefully—did his whole body go hard.

Daryl pulled back quickly and turned away from her, trying to cool himself down, hoping she hadn't noticed.

"Lets head back, walkers would've ran off any meat nearby anyway."

Elena looked behind her, and through the trees she could see the walkers off in the distance. Returning her eyes, Daryl was already walking back toward the camp, looking almost in a hurry. Elena put her hand to her chest, feeling her heart beating against her palm, still fast, and she knew for sure it wasn't because of the walkers.

* * *

Daryl needed a drink. _Bad_.And luckily he still had some from the house they raided a while ago. He had the bottle with him during watch, leaning against the truck, staring into the night sky. The hard liquor was a nice burn down his throat. He needed something to put his mind at ease.

After him and Elena got back to the others, Daryl had to stay far away from her or else her presence was going to remind him how she felt against him and how hard the arousal hit him. It had been a hell of a long time since the last time he got drunk at a bar and had a one night stand with some chick. Even long before the apocalypse started. But being against Elena, he remembered how good it felt, even though their bodies were only pressing together. He remembered feeling her heartbeat against him, so fast, but it was only because of the herd of walkers he warned her about.

Daryl took a swing from the bottle and rubbed at his eyes. Thinking about her was killing him, and the alcohol wasn't doing shit to drown away those thoughts. He had been trying everything, especially after a couple of days ago. He went off on Elena after her dumbass, reckless suicide mission. He was mad at what she put him through, getting all worried over her, thinking she might have been dead. Daryl was pissed off at her because she went off without even thinking and he wasn't there to back her up. No, she went and took off with Glenn instead. No doubt that Glenn had protected her fine, but Daryl would have felt better if it was him. After that Daryl just couldn't be near her, afraid he might say something, blurt out something stupid. That he liked her? That he wanted her? Lord, what was he even _thinking_?

"Hey."

Daryl almost went for his crossbow that was leaning beside him, when he saw that it was Elena that had spoke. Daryl swallowed and stared at her. He could see the dark circles under her as she slightly smiled at him. He knew she hadn't been sleeping much, almost every night, and often times he had caught her walking off, whether it was to help keep watch with him or whoever's shift it was. That hour it was Daryl's shift.

"You don't mind...?" her question was quiet and unsure.

She was asking if she could stay with him and keep watch. It was the first time she had asked him, normally she would of just went ahead, stood beside him and talked about whatever was on her mind, but since he blew up on her, things were different.

Daryl gave her a quick nod.

Elena came forward, leaning against the truck with him, but keeping a bit of distance away. It bothered him that he noticed.

They stayed in silence for a long time, and it was the first time that the silence was awkward, for Daryl at least. Should he say something to her? What the hell would he say? Maybe it was a bad idea to drink after all.

"I'm sorry."

Daryl shot his eyes at her his brows furrowed.

"I worried you." Daryl looked away, and he could see she was leaning in, trying to look into his face. "Am I right?"

Daryl didn't say anything. He couldn't.

Elena sighed. "Toni use to hate when I went off to scavenge for food and supplies by myself without saying anything. He always went off on me when I'd come back, but my sister was always there to calm him down. I guess I'd forget that it was causing grief for him when I went alone, because he wasn't there to make sure I was okay." She gazed toward him. "I was doing the same to you. And I'm sure if it had been anyone else, you would have gone off on them too because you, Rick, Glenn—all of you guys are so close and have been through a lot already."

That wasn't true. Had it been anybody else, Daryl wouldn't have said a word. Rick might have, but Daryl wouldn't.

"Anyways, I wanted to apologize. I get it."

Elena leaned away from the truck, and lingered for a moment, looking like she was deciding on leaving and Daryl felt his self soften.

"Hey," he said to her. "Stay if y'want."

Elena looked toward him and Daryl shrugged slightly. A smile spread through her lips, the same smile that Daryl couldn't get out of his head.

"If I stay, I'm going to expect you share that." She pointed toward the bottle in his hand.

Daryl lifted it in his hand, looking it over, and couldn't help but feel a grin tug at the corner of his lips. He outstretched his arm, the bottle toward her. Elena took it, bringing the bottle to her lips and hesitated before taking a swing. She made a face when she pulled the bottle away from her.

"Damn, that's strong."

"Ain't bad," Daryl replied.

She stood beside him, closer this time.

"Tell me something...something about your brother."

"Merle?" Daryl looked at her, confused. "What for?"

"I don't know. Maybe it'll help me get to know you more and where you came from."

Daryl thought for a moment, surprised to even be asked. Even Carol never asked him about his stories. But then again, Elena didn't know anything about Merle, and how he was like, not like the others.

"When I was a kid, me and Merle like to go off shopliftin' through convenience stores. I was shovin' my pockets with some chocolate bars, an' lighters an' stuff. Things I didn't really get at home, y'know? Anyway, clerk who worked there was watchin' the entire time, called the cops. When they came, we knew they were there for us. Merle grabbed everythin' from my pockets, shoved it in his, sayin' he was the one that took everythin', that I wasn't doin' it. Merle got booked, an' I got off. He spent some time in juvie for resistin' arrest."

"He took the fall for you."

"Yeah."

"Sound like a good brother," Elena said.

Daryl wanted to laugh. "Had his moments." He offered the bottle to her again, and she took a swing at it.

Elena could already feel the alcohol rushing through her brain. With no sleep and barely any food in her stomach she was feeling it faster, not to mention it had been so long since she had any alcohol, her tolerance was probably nonexistent by now. She had to lean hard against the truck, unsure if she could really be able to stand on her own two feet. It wasn't long before when she had the bottle in her hand again, taking the last of what was left in it. She wondered if Daryl was feeling it too. Had to be. He had more than she did.

"Y'know, as reckless as that stunt was, driving the car in through the doors, you have to admit that was pretty cool."

Daryl peered at her. "I think ya had enough."

"_Please_, I'm fine," she replied and adjusted her footing. She lost her balance suddenly.

"Whoa, whoa." Daryl immediately caught her by the arm.

Elena's head was spinning, but when she looked up at Daryl, it was the last thing on her mind. She thought about earlier, back in the forest when he had his body up against her, and she couldn't help have that feeling spark up through her body all over again, especially with the way he was looking at her now. But this time, Daryl didn't pull away. He still held her and the eye contact was still there. For a split second, Elena looked toward his lips, then back up to his eyes.

Elena didn't know who grabbed who first, but when she felt Daryl's lips on hers it didn't matter. He buried his hands in her hair, his lips rough and hungry. Elena had her hand wrapped around the back of his neck, pulling him toward her more, her other hand still holding the empty bottle. Elena felt Daryl's tongue slip past her lips, and she met his with hers half way, both exploring each other, more desperate than anything.

Daryl slid his hand down her back to her waist, forcing her hips against his, to get that same feeling back he had earlier. Feeling her body fit perfectly against his felt more than good but Daryl was greedy. He wanted more. When he heard Elena moan against his lips, Daryl's whole body went completely hard.

"Yo, Daryl! Elena with you?"

Elena ripped herself away from him at the sound of T-Dog's voice, Daryl's body suddenly going cold. She looked at him, her eyes wide and her lips swollen. She quickly shoved the empty bottled back in his hands.

T-Dog then came around the truck. "Ah, there you are—why you two outta breath?"

Elena ran her hand through her tangled hair, avoiding eye contact with both him and Daryl. "Good night," she said quickly, practically jogging past T-Dog. Daryl was surprised that from the amount she was drinking, her retreat was graceful.

T-Dog watched her go, his brow raised before looking back at Daryl, and the bottle in his hand. "You got more of that?"

Daryl glared at him, grabbing his crossbow and slapping the bottle in T-Dog's hands as he brushed past him.

"Damn, what crawled up _his_ ass?" T-Dog whispered to himself, turning the bottle upside down, and not a single drop fell.

* * *

Daryl couldn't sleep. Especially with Elena not even ten feet away from him.

He had his arms folded behind his head, using his bag as a pillow. His eyes drifted toward her again, a blanket was wrapped around her and she was sleeping soundly.

What _was_ that back there? It happened so fast, Daryl only had the time to register it when T-dog interrupted them, to take over Daryl's shift. They both had lunged for each other, this he knew for sure. It wasn't just him, Elena's hands were on him too. But she was also drunk. Daryl drank more than her, but it was clear that Elena had the alcohol tolerance of zero. He wasn't completely under the influence, but he'd be lying if he said he wasn't a little buzzed, it was the only courage he had to grab her the way he did. Sometimes liquor courage was a hell of a thing.

He wanted to feel her against him again, to have her hands on him. Daryl could see it as the start of a serious addiction. But what was he going to do? Get her drunk every time? He wasn't Merle. But would she have responded the way she did otherwise? Daryl didn't think so.

Daryl turned on his side, finally taking his eyes away from her. It was a one time deal. And he didn't know whether it was better that it happened or not at all, because in the morning, he knew she wasn't going to remember shit.

* * *

Elena had her head between her knees, her legs hanging out of the backseat of the truck. Her head was pounding and her stomach uneasy. God, what a hangover.

"You okay, honey?" Lori came up to her, slightly rubbing her back. "You didn't eat breakfast."

Elena groaned at the thought of food, she couldn't even look at it when Carol had offered her some a few minutes ago. Her stomach had flipped, threatening her that she would puke if she so much smelled it. This was the last time she would drink that much.

"Stomach flu, or something," she lied. "Can you grab some aspirin in my bag? I'm pretty sure I have some in there."

"Sure," Lori said. "I'll go you some water too."

At the sound of water, Elena licked her lips, her mouth dry. She was really dehydrated. When Lori returned, she took the bottle of aspirin, dropping two pills in her hand, popping it in her mouth and washing it down with water.

"We'll be heading out soon, give you time to sleep it off."

Elena nodded to her, but she knew that wasn't going to happen. For the first time in days, Elena had an actual decent nights rest. Granted it was only a few hours, but it was still a huge improvement from the twenty minutes at a time she use to get. Elena swallowed down more water, needing it to get rid of her hangover, and looked toward the others, packing up blankets and supplies they set for the days they stayed at the shack. She caught sight of Rick talking to Daryl, and when she saw him turn his head she quickly looked away.

She had been replaying that moment last night in her head over and over again since she woke up, wondering if she had only dreamt it, imagined it. But when she saw the empty bottle, left by the truck, she knew it was real. It happened. But Daryl was walking around, talking to the others like last night never occurred. He hadn't really talked to her either. He was drinking last night too, Elena thought, maybe he didn't remember anything. And she felt disappointed. She didn't know what the hell that was last night. A spur of lust? They went at each other like a couple of horny teenagers. Elena didn't even know if she ever experienced that desperate rush of desire with anyone before. It hit her so fast that she didn't even know what she was doing when she had her hands on him.

That moment, she wanted him. She did. And it wasn't just because she was drunk. But Daryl didn't remember it, she could see, and last night was nothing but a meaningless fluke between two people that both had alcohol in their system. Elena knew what she was doing, kissing him, it wasn't that she was too drunk to realize that. But Daryl might have been, and maybe it saved them from having that awkward conversation after about what it meant. However, there was a part of Elena that wanted that conversation.

"Alright, we're headin' out," Rick called out to everyone.

Elena slipped back further into the truck, just as Carl was hopping in. His hat fell forward over his face, and Elena lifted it, securing it properly on his head. Carl grinned at her and began telling her how his dad was teaching him how to take apart his gun and clean it. Elena was grateful for the distraction. Listening to Carl ramble on was a hell of a lot better than her thoughts worrying about Daryl.

It was a few hours before the group took a pit stop at the side of the road, for those that needed to go to the washroom and to also have a quick bite before they went off again.

Elena was chewing on some stale bread, standing beside Glenn, leaning against the Hyundai.

"Okay, theory on the retail store," Elena said.

"This is a stupid game, you guys know that, right?" Maggie replied, crossing her arms with a cocked brow at both Elena and Glenn.

Glenn shrugged. "It's better than 'I Spy'," he said.

"Glenn, theory." Elena snapped her fingers at him.

"Right, um. Okay so, I was thinking, that the people that worked there were taking in civilians, and taking shelter in there, until one of them came back bit and infected everyone."

Elena nodded her head slowly. "Close enough to what I thought."

"Alright your turn. Theory on the middle school."

She shook her head quickly at Glenn. "No, no. I'm not touching that theory with a ten foot pole."

Glenn looked at her, his smile gone. "You must have seen worse than I did. I only caught a glance."

"I walked _in_ that cafeteria," Elena replied gravely. "It's part of the reason I still can't sleep at night. I don't ever want to know what happened in there."

Glenn frowned, and looked over at Maggie. "You're right, this game is stupid."

"Told you."

Daryl was off in the distance but he could see Elena talking to Glenn and Maggie where he stood from his bike. Carol offered him the left over jerky they had from a couple of days ago. Daryl took it without a word. Carol brushed her hands on her pants, looking at him then back to where his eyes were set. She turned back, looking down, a smile on her face. Daryl brought the jerky to his lips, taking a bite and glancing at Carol for a second. She was staring at him, a grin on her lips.

"What?" he said through a mouthful, annoyed.

"Why don't you go talk to her?" Carol asked, gesturing her hand behind her, toward Elena. Daryl didn't say anything, avoiding her gaze. "You've been staring at her all day. Don't think I haven't noticed."

"Yeah an' maybe you should mind yer own damn business," Daryl remarked, but his voice sounded weak.

Carol tilted her head at him, knowing his words weren't completely serious. Daryl waved her off, irritated. Was he that obvious? Daryl had been subtle while watching her since this morning, looking for a sign, maybe. He wasn't exactly sure. Something that showed she remembered last night. Maybe he was expecting her to look at him, something in her eye, hinting to him that she remembered every single second of that moment. But he was getting nothing from her. If Merle saw him now, he would have called him a little bitch, because that's exactly how he was acting.

"We're wastin' time sittin' around here," Daryl muttered, now agitated. "Let's go! Before we lose the light!" he called out to everyone.

Glenn looked back at Daryl and leaned away from the Hyundai. "So much for our break."

Maggie went ahead and jumped in the car along with Hershel and Beth. When Elena went to walk back to the truck, Glenn quickly grabbed her wrist.

Elena looked back at him, her brows raised.

His voice was hushed as he spoke. "T-Dog told me he caught you and Daryl last night"—Elena felt her heartbeat quicken—"drinking together." She relaxed then. "Did something happen with you guys?"

"Excuse me?"

"Elena, c'mon!" Carl called out to her from the truck.

"Coming!" She turned her sights back on Glenn. "Why would you say that?"

"You both have the same look on your face."

"_What_ look?"

"You guys just look like lost puppies, staring at each other when the other isn't looking," he answered, an awkward smile on his lips. He shrugged. "Was only curious."

Glenn left her, and got into the Hyundai. Elena stood there for a second, lost in thought. She turned around and ran back toward the truck.

* * *

Elena was fiddling with Toni's dog-tags around her neck, curling and uncurling the chain around her finger, watching T-Dog start up the fire, her mind elsewhere. T-Dog looked at her, throwing another stick in, the flames beginning to grow.

"Still hung over?"

Elena saw T-Dog staring at her, and shook her head. She hadn't heard what he asked. "Sorry, what?"

T-Dog laughed. "Instead of off daydreamin', watch over this fire, will you?"

"Yeah, no problem." T-Dog got up and walked away. Elena grabbed another piece of wood and threw it in, maintaining the fire. She looked up, the sky orange and purple from the setting sun. A breeze blew through, and Elena shivered, getting closer to the fire.

She looked around, Maggie sitting across from her, with her and Glenn's stuff. Carl was near her with Beth and Hershel. Lori and Carol were grabbing blankets from the back of the truck, while Daryl and T-Dog were walking around the perimeter. Rick and Glenn then came walking through the trees, the front of their shirts splattered with blood.

"Any trouble?" Hershel asked them.

"Couple of walkers," Rick answered. "We didn't find anymore."

"We moved the bodies close." Glenn went toward Maggie, grabbing his bag and pulling out a clean shirt, taking off the one he was wearing. "Hopefully the smell will keep other walkers away."

Maggie made a disgusted face as Glenn sat down beside her.

The sun went down fast as the skies darkened and it got colder. Everyone sat closer to the fire, with an exception to Rick, who stood a little way off, away from everyone. Carl got up from his seat beside his mother, and went to his father, offering him some of the left over food on his plate. Elena saw Lori watching them, a frown her lips. As a mother, you would think that watching your son wanting to spend time with his father would be a refreshing sight to see, but Lori didn't look as pleased as Elena would have expected her to.

Maybe it was none of her business, but sometimes riding with them in the truck was always filled with uncomfortable silence. If it got worse, maybe Elena could go see if Glenn could squeeze room for her in the Hyundai.

The group was talking quietly amongst themselves as another breeze rolled in, making the flames flicker. Elena reached for her backpack to pull out her hoodie, one of the best things she took from that store. Pulling it out, her eyes caught the sight of something in the bottom of her bag. She grabbed it and took it out also. She'd forgotten all about the poncho she grabbed for Daryl. She rubbed her fingers over the tanned fabric. It really was soft. Elena looked up, looking for him and seeing Daryl walking near the cars, his crossbow in his hands.

Elena threw her hoodie on, zipping it up and taking her backpack as she made her way over to him. She stopped for a second midway, shaking her head, telling herself to not be such a wimp and pushed herself toward him.

Daryl was walking alongside his bike when he heard her, doing a double take when he realized it was Elena.

"Um," she said, looking nervous. She dropped her her backpack at her feet and bent down pulling something out of it. "It's cold tonight, I thought..." She trailed off, reaching her hand toward him, holding some fabric in her hand. "Here."

He hesitated before he took it, letting the folds of the fabric fall. It was soft. "This a blanket?"

"Poncho," she corrected.

"Do I look Mexican?" he said, but his voice was quiet, still touching at the fabric.

"It just...I don't know, looks very you."

He raised his brow at her. "What's that suppose to mean?"

"Nothing." She looked at him. She couldn't do it, she wanted to bring it up, but if Daryl didn't remember last night then he would think she was making things up, and who would look like an idiot then? Elena was running away from it, and she knew the question she had: 'what was going on between them?' was going to nag the hell out of her until she had the courage to ask. But tonight wasn't that night.

"I thought it would keep you warm at night, at least," she told him.

Daryl looked down at the poncho in his hands then back at her. "Thanks."

Elena nodded her head, the wind blowing again, brushing her hair into her face. Elena involuntarily shivered, pulling the strands of hair away from her eyes. Daryl then took a step toward her, bringing his hand toward her face. He moved a strain of her dark hair she had missed, then grabbed her hood and pulled it over her head. He gave her a rye grin, tugging at the hood so it covered her eyes.

"Gotta small head."

Elena pulled the hood from her eyes. "Jerk," she said, smiling at him.

Daryl scoffed halfheartedly then gestured back to the camp. "Go on. They're probably cookin' somethin' good. Canned beans, _again_."

Elena laughed, hearing the sarcasm in his words. "You coming?"

"In a bit."

She watched him, chewing on her lip as he looked off down to the forest. Elena hesitated before she decided to go for it, taking a step forward, planting a kiss on his cheek as he was momentarily distracted. Daryl flinched.

Elena pulled back, still holding the grin on her lips. "Don't take too long before all the food's gone." She turned and walked back to the campfire.

Daryl watched her go. If he wanted a hint that she remembered last night, that was probably it.


	9. Chapter 9

**Alright first off, I'm gonna say I know nothing about cars except how to drive them so if I made any mistakes on here, my bad. Second is, Daryl has no game, and he is a fun character to write romantically about, because I feel he won't be the one making the first moves. Haha. So anyway, enjoy this one, had the song 'Blink' by 'Revive' on replay while writing the ending of the chapter. :) Loving the reviews guys, keep them coming!**

**I take no credit in characters besides Elena Lima and Toni Galvin.**

* * *

Rick popped the truck's hood, a cloud of smoke hitting him in the face. Rick lifted his forearm to cover his nose, waving the smoke away.

"How bad is it?" Glenn asked beside him.

The group had been driving along the empty roads, the day still early but something had gone wrong and steam started seeping from underneath the hood of the Chevrolet Suburban, forcing Rick to pull over. All the men were around the vehicle, all there to make a diagnostic. The women and Carl stood back watching, letting the men hopefully find a solution to the problem.

Hershel leaned in underneath the hood of the truck. "Engine's overheated." He inspected it a bit longer before standing straight. "And the reservoir appears to be empty."

Rick blew from his nose, frustrated, slamming his hand against the vehicle. On top of keeping the group safe now he was having car troubles, which should have been the least of his worries but it was important. They needed the truck, especially for the winter and they didn't have enough room to fit everyone in the car.

"We don't have any coolant with us," T-Dog whispered.

"One of us could go find a gas station or a hardware store," Glenn suggested.

"I'll go," Daryl offered, leaning away from the truck.

Rick pinched the bridge of his nose. "And what if we have more problems? Truck is old, who knows if it'll even last the winter."

"What are you suggesting?" Hershel asked him.

"We need to find a new car, just in case. Plus, we need to start stockin' up on more supplies and we could use the room."

Daryl looked toward Rick. "I'll go in, find a gas station. Gotta be some abandoned cars lyin' around." He adjusted the crossbow on his shoulder. "I can only take one of ya."

"I'll come with."

Everyone turned, Elena behind them. Daryl watched her, his lips a tight line.

"Alright," Rick began, looking toward Elena and Daryl. "Grab as much coolant as you can. Try to find another truck, anythin' that looks new that could last us a while."

Elena nodded her head.

"Try to not take longer than dusk, I don't want us to stay here longer than we need to."

Daryl gave one nod toward Rick, then gestured his head toward his bike at Elena. Elena grabbed her backpack from the backseat of the truck and jogged back to Daryl who was already starting up his bike. Elena held onto his shoulder as she threw her leg over the back of the motorcycle, sitting behind him.

"Hold on," Daryl said, revving up his engine and taking off down the road.

Elena held onto Daryl as the cold wind blew past them, blowing and tangling her hair. She peered over Daryl's shoulder as they sped down the road, the trees alongside them just blurs.

Since that night they kissed, Elena hadn't been able to mention it. She wanted to, but she didn't know how to go about it. At the very least, Daryl was talking to her now, just like before. Although, after she had kissed him on the cheek, he had been a little awkward and different at first. Elena didn't know whether to take that as a good sign or not, she was still getting to know him. But she knew it might be a while before another night like that would happen again, if it ever did anyway. A part of her kind of hoped it would because that rush of lust and desire was one hell of an experience.

Elena had to stop tip-toeing around it and finally just talk to him, ask him if he remembered. When Daryl volunteered to get the coolant for the truck's engine, Elena jumped in for the opportunity. It was the first time they were alone in days, and who knew when she would get another chance. Elena only hoped that she wouldn't wuss out again this time.

Daryl had driven for a while before they spotted signs for the nearest gas station at the next turn. He picked up his speed then, only slowing down when in the distance they spotted it. It was a big one too, with a garage also. Daryl stopped his bike, turning the key and shutting off the engine as he looked around. Elena hopped off, combing the tangles out of her long hair, deciding to tie it up in a pony tail. Maybe she really should cut it.

Daryl pulled out his crossbow from the back of his bike and walked a few steps ahead. "Stay tight."

Elena didn't say anything, just followed after him, taking her crowbar from her backpack. She held it by her side, looking around. The gas station was quiet and empty. She looked past the few cars that were left there. She looked in them, one an old station waggon, another was a beat up old Honda. Elena pursed her lips, she didn't think any of these would last very long, take the constant travelling and she really didn't want to go back empty handed. Elena turned away from the parked cars when her eyes landed on a grey Dodge Ram truck. She walked toward it, looking it over. It looked well kept. She tried to look through the windows, the seats in the interior were scattered with wrappers and trash. Elena reached for the door handle and pulled but it didn't budge. The truck was locked. She tried looking in, near the steering wheel. The keys weren't in there either.

Elena stepped away from it, and looked it over for a while. Whoever had left it was in a hurry because it was parked over two of the parking slots.

Daryl then whistled at her, catching her attention, jerking his head toward the station when she looked at him. Elena backed away from the truck and headed toward Daryl who was standing by the doors. He opened them slowly, a bell above the door chiming. Daryl aimed his crossbow, going in and looking through the narrow isles. Elena looked over the front counter, seeing blood on the floor.

"Daryl," Elena whispered his name, pointing toward her eye, signalling him to be alert.

He looked back forward and continued on, his steps slow. Elena was close behind him. Daryl went slower when he heard a noise, a crack. Daryl backed himself against the shelves, only slightly looking around the corner. All he could see was a puddle of blood and boots. Daryl inhaled a breath and jumped from behind the shelves, aiming his crossbow and firing. The arrow pierced through the walker that had been crouched down. Elena stepped forward, grimacing when she saw the body underneath the walker. The man was dead, his insides ripped open, pieces of his organs in the dead walker's hands and teeth. Elena felt herself gag and covered her mouth and nose with her wrist, turning away just as Daryl pulled out his knife and ramming it into the dead man's head, before he also turned.

Elena tried to inhale through her mouth to not catch the odour and shook her head to focus. She looked back, realizing the walker was in uniform and the man underneath him was wearing civilian attire. The man probably had come in looking for help when he was attacked. Elena thought of the truck parked outside. She bent down, pulling the walker away from the dead body, going through his pockets, trying not to look at the bloody cavity in his chest. Daryl watched her oddly as she rummaged through his pockets, trying the ones in the back of his pants. Her hands touched metal and she pulled at it, taking out a set of keys. She looked through them, one of the keys engraved with the Dodge Ram logo.

She looked up, smiling at Daryl as she held up the key. "Got a new ride."

He smirked and walked on through the store, checking for any more walkers. Elena shoved the keys in her pocket and went through the isles again to look for the coolant. She grabbed bags of chips, jerky, and some candy for Carl as she searched for it, shoving everything in her bag, adding weight to her shoulder, when she spotted the coolant, a set of them. She pulled them off the shelves, taking each one and placing them on the floor. Daryl came behind her.

"Should make sure if the battery in the truck ain't dead first."

"True," she replied and made a move to go back outside.

"Careful," she heard Daryl whisper after her.

She sent him a half smile and went out the door. Elena pressed the unlock button on the car remote that was chained with the key, sighing with relief when she heard the locks pop open. She opened the front door and slipped in, sliding the key in and turning on the ignition. The engine sputtered for a second, scaring Elena when the engine then roared to life. At least something for once was going their way. Elena was throwing out all the trash from inside the truck when Daryl came out with the containers of coolant. He threw them in the back.

"Should check the garage for containers, might as well fill on gas while we're here," he said.

Elena nodded her head and ran back into the store to grab the rest they needed. When they had practically emptied the store for supplies, Elena pulled the truck near by the gas pumps to fill the tank up to the top. She was filling up the containers Daryl found from the garage with the gas nozzle, while he kept watch around the area in case any more walkers showed up, but so far they had been lucky. The walker inside the gas station was the only one they had found.

Elena withdrew the nozzle from the full container, twisting the lid back on when she heard foot steps behind her. "How many should we fill up?" she asked Daryl and turned her head to look at him.

It wasn't Daryl.

Elena dropped the nozzle to the floor just as the walker came staggering toward her. It's hands clawed around painfully tight on her shoulders forcing her back on the ground, it's weight on top of her. It snapped at her, the skin over its lips missing so all Elena saw were it's bloodied teeth. Elena threw her forearm where the jaw met its neck, pushing it back, keeping it's snapping teeth away from her as it hissed. Elena had her teeth clenched together, trying to hold it back but the walker had more strength than she expected. She looked around for her crowbar, then cursing herself, realizing she left her bag in the truck beside her.

The walker pushed forward, it's teeth inches away from her face. Elena felt the tears at the corner of he eyes, her breathing harsh. With no weapon and little strength she was vulnerable. It was then when she remembered the knife that Daryl had given her. It was still in her pocket. Elena reached for it quickly, flipping the blade out of its handle and pulled back. The walker came at her neck and Elena shoved the knife into it's eye, the blood hitting her in the face. The walker's jaw kept moving and Elena twisted the knife until it went limp, dead weight on top of her. Elena let go of the knife and rested her head back onto the ground and laid there, catching her breath, too weak and shocked to move.

Daryl then came running, rushing to her side.

He could hear his heart pounding in his ears at the sight of walker on her, but was limp. Dead. He dropped his crossbow to the ground, grabbing the dead walker from of her by the shirt and pants, throwing it off. He bent down to her, looking her over desperately for any sign that she was alive. Her chest rose and fell, her breathing heavy. Daryl almost sighed with relief and sat her up, checking her over again, seeing the blood on her face. He looked over toward the dead walker, seeing her knife in it's eye. Daryl could feel his heartbeat slow back down to a steady pace, the danger was gone, and he pulled his red handkerchief from his back pocket. He grabbed the side of Elena's face and started wiping off the blood. His eyes moved to hers as he wiped at the blood on her skin. Her sight was elsewhere, her mind too.

He leaned toward her gaze. "Ya alright?"

"...Was too close," she choked out and inhaled a shaky breath. She met his eyes then.

Daryl continued wiping the blood from her forehead, then her chin. "You handled yerself fine."

Elena exhaled, calming herself down and letting him clean the blood off of her face. She looked at him again, just as he brushed his handkerchief against her bottom lip.

She _had_ to ask. It was a good a time as any.

"You don't remember, do you?" His eyes met hers as she spoke quietly. "About that night...what happened between us."

Daryl's hand that had been holding the handkerchief stopped moving, his eyes still on hers. Elena searched them, looking for an answer, glad that she finally had the courage to ask. Daryl leaned slightly away, his eyes drifting down toward her lips, his left hand still holding her face.

It was until they heard growls and footsteps behind them did he pull away.

"Nice timin'."

Elena didn't know if he was being sarcastic or not as Daryl pulled her quickly back on her feet. Past his shoulder she saw five walkers coming toward them.

"Get that container in the truck," he told her, aiming his crossbow and releasing an arrow and taking down a walker.

Elena took the container in her hands, the weight of it making her lose her balance for a second. She threw it in the back of the truck, seeing more walkers coming. Elena bent down to the walker she had killed, pulling her knife out of it's eye as Daryl began backing up.

"Go!" she told him, gesturing toward his bike. "I got them."

Daryl furrowed his brow at her but didn't get the chance to ask what she meant when she jump into the cab of the truck, turning on the engine. The engine roared as the reverse lights illuminated and she backed the truck up fast, in front of Daryl, slamming it against the walkers coming to him. He could hear their bones crack, the back tires running over the few bodies.

"Damn...," was all he could say.

He took the opportunity to run back to his bike. Daryl hopped on, starting it up when he heard the truck behind him. He looked back just in time to see Elena speed through, hitting another walker that was just a few feet behind him. He looked at Elena through her window, who was nodding at him to go ahead.

Daryl kick started his bike, revving it up and went ahead, his tires speeding up. He turned back onto the road, Elena right behind him.

* * *

The group turned at the sound of Daryl's bike. T-Dog lifted his hands over his eyes, blocking them from the sun, seeing the light shine against a grey truck following behind him. The group stepped back just as Daryl came driving in, Elena behind him, driving the truck.

T-Dog whistled and smiled. "Ain't she a beaut'."

Elena turned off the engine and jumped out of the cab, T-Dog and Glenn looking over the truck. She grinned. "Isn't she pretty?"

"Oh hell yes, I'm takin' it for a ride," T-Dog exclaimed.

Elena jiggled the keys in her hand. "I'm driving her."

T-Dog cocked up a brow. "Why? So you can drive it into another store?" He laughed aloud, turning and highfiving Glenn.

Glenn laughed also, cutting himself off when Elena glared at him. "C'mon, _that_ was funny."

"She ain't a bad driver," Daryl said approaching them and looked back at Elena, grinning. "For a woman."

"_Oh_!" T-Dog yelped, biting his fist.

"Screw all of you," Elena replied, trying to keep her voice serious but a laugh managed to break through.

"Did you run into some trouble?" Rick asked, looking over the blood on the paint of the truck. Everyone sobered up then.

"Walkers came, didn't get a chance to grab more gas 'fore we split," Daryl answered.

"Still got some coolant though," Elena added and reached the back, grabbing it and handing it to Rick.

"Good job." Rick nodded to them, a small smile on his lips. "Engine cooled down. We'll fill up the reservoir, head back out. It's late, probably gonna be sleepin' in the cars tonight."

Elena didn't mind that all. Now that they had the new truck, she had more room to spread her legs and sleep than she did in the backseat of the Chevy.

Rick went back to the truck alongside Hershel, the hood still opened. Glenn and T-Dog followed after him. Elena caught Daryl staring at her. His expression reminded her of the same one he had when she asked about whether he remembered that night, and it was only then did Elena finally read it as subtle acknowledgement.

* * *

"Ahh, can finally stretch out my legs."

T-Dog spread out in the backseat of the Dodge Ram, his arms folded behind his head. Elena gazed at him from the front seat, her back against the passenger door, her legs crossed in front of her. She threw another chip in her mouth, reaching her hand in the bag on her lap. She peered out the windshield, hearing the crickets outside, the sky was a lot darker tonight.

She had too much on her mind to really enjoy the new space she had. With the close call she had today and followed by Daryl, her mind was all over the place. She had let her guard down, thinking that the gas station was safe because Daryl was with her. She wasn't blaming him by any means, but sometimes she had to remember she couldn't rely on others all the time, she had done that before with Toni too much already. She promised herself then to always keep her knife on her. She was lucky it was still in her pocket or else she would have been dead.

As for Daryl... Elena couldn't organize her thoughts on him, going back and forth whether she should talk to him or not. What was she so afraid of?

"Hey, ya think Daryl got anymore booze left on him?" T-Dog asked her suddenly.

Elena shrugged one shoulder. "I don't know. Go ask him."

"Naw, he won't give me any if I did." He then sat up, resting his arms on the headrest beside her, narrowing his eyes. "But you...He likes you."

Elena raised her brows. "What you getting at?"

T-Dog gave her a white smile. "Ask him for me."

"No."

"Oh, _c'mon_," he whispered. "It's the least you can do, holdin' out on the rest of us and drinkin' a whole bottle with Daryl alone. Unless," he tilted his head at her, "that wasn't all you were doin'."

"You got one hell of an imagination," Elena said.

"And you got a bad poker face." He gave her pleading eyes. "Please. _Please_."

"Okay! _Jesus_." Elena thew up her hands in surrender and started laughing. "You're worst than an alcoholic."

"Hey, I ain't no alcoholic. You need to have alcohol for that."

Elena rolled her eyes at him and smiled. She handed him the bag of chips, brushing her hands on her pants and jumped out of the truck.

Elena wasn't really going for T-Dog, she was just looking for a reason to push herself and talk to Daryl herself. She needed to know, whether that kiss meant anything to him as it did to her, or was it just a spur of the moment, just a good idea at the time. No matter the reason, she needed some closure so she would just stop thinking about it and finally have some room to breathe. Part of her didn't want to know the answer. It could mess things up, makes things awkward between them and they were stuck together. No running away from that. But she needed to know.

She walked off, alongside the red Chevy Suburban. She could see Carl in the backseat sleeping, and Lori in the front, her elbow leaned against her window, her head rested in her hand, wide awake. When she saw Elena, she wiped at her eyes then rolled her window down.

"Everything alright?" she asked her.

Lori's eyes were red and glossy. Had she been crying? "Yeah, don't worry," Elena replied softly. "I'm just looking for Daryl, have you seen him?"

Lori sniffed. "Yeah, he was talking to Rick. I think he's taking watch in the back side."

"Thanks, Lori." Elena was about to take a step to walk away, but stopped herself and looked back at her. "Is everything okay?"

She gave her a smile, one that Elena could see through. "Yeah. Yeah, everything's fine."

Elena furrowed her brow but didn't want to pester her anymore. "Okay. Sleep well."

Lori nodded and Elena walked away, to the direction Lori said Daryl would be. Elena wondered if her and Rick had another fight, but she pushed that in the back of her mind when she spotted Daryl, always with the crossbow in his hands, taking slow steps across the road looking off in the distance. Daryl turned his head to her when she was close, hearing her footsteps.

"That 'no sleepin'' of yours is 'bout to become a problem," he said to her, thinking that once again she hadn't been able to fall asleep.

"Can we talk?"

Daryl sobered, hearing the seriousness in her voice. "'Bout?"

"You remember that night, don't you?"

Daryl tensed up, staring at her. He didn't know how to answer. With a simple yes? Was he suppose to be suave? Was there any real way to answer her? Of course he remembered that night. Hell, it still wouldn't get out of his mind, even more so after Elena had kissed him on the cheek the day after. He was sure she remembered it then, he just didn't know how to go about it. Really had no direction with where things were suppose to go from there. He thought maybe he should push it behind him since it was a one time deal. But Daryl didn't want to. This was just evidence at how stubborn he could be.

Elena was watching him and he supposed that she saw the answer in his face because she sighed and ran her hand through her hair.

"Listen, I know it happened really fast and we were both really drunk—"

"Wasn't that drunk..."

Elena looked up at him. "What?"

Daryl blew out a breath of frustration and looked away from her. "I wasn't that drunk," he said again, more firmly.

He knew it. He damn well _knew_ it. She was going to say it was a mistake, that they both had been really drunk and made a mistake. The hell was he expecting? For her to confess that it was what she wanted? That she wanted _him_? He had to stop being such a pussy and living in a stupid fantasy world. What was he a thirteen year old girl? He had to grow some balls and man up, to hell if he was going to be upset over this. But he wasn't upset, he was angry. He _let_ himself expect something different. He turned to her, ready to just end everything.

"Look, I ain't—"

Elena's lips were on his before he could finish. Her lips were soft and slow against him, which was something he wasn't use to. Her hand was on the back of his neck, her hold strong. Elena pulled back from him after a moment. Daryl could do nothing but stare at her, his lips still parted.

She bit her bottom lip, looking away from him. "I don't...I don't know how to go about this," she told him honestly.

"Hell if I should know...," Daryl whispered softly. She was still so close to him.

She met her eyes to his, searching in them. "I like you, Daryl...and I want to see where this goes. But if you don't feel the same just..." She inhaled. "Just tell me now, and I'll back off."

Elena was nervous and Daryl could see this. All this time he was trying to convince himself that Elena didn't want anything to do with him, and here she was, with more courage than he had, telling him she'd stay away from him if that's what he wanted.

Daryl was reluctant at first, watching her.

_What the hell._

He went for it, grabbing her, his lips on hers again. Daryl was unsure for a second when she didn't respond right away. Then he felt her hands on him, clenching at his shirt. Daryl wanted to be gentle with her but he was unpracticed and he didn't care to go slow. He wanted all of her. _Everything_. It was the first time in his life that Daryl knew what it felt like to be something to someone.


	10. Chapter 10

**This chapter is a lot more tender than the others but I think it helps you see Daryl's and Elena's relationship grow here. :) I got nothing much to say except I hope you like this one. Next chapter is gonna be an exciting one I promise! Keep them reviews coming, and thanks to the new followers! Love you guys!**

**I take no credit for characters with an exception to Elena Lima and Toni Galvin.**

* * *

"We could head this way, up north."

Rick pointed at the map, sliding his finger down the trail drawn on it. The map was sprawled across the Hyundai's hood. T-Dog, Daryl, Glenn and Maggie stood beside him, trying to go over what their next move should be.

Glenn shook his head. "We went there already, nothing was left." He leaned forward, looking through the map. "We could head back in the direction of the retail store. A lot of places nearby may also have been stocked up."

"Can't risk it." Rick shook his head. "Walkers probably crawlin' all around there by now."

"The walkers are like migratin' or somethin'," Maggie whispered. "What if they start teamin' up with another herd. We might get caught off eventually."

"We should start marking them down," Glenn suggested. "The size of the herds, where they are. That way we know in what direction they're in and where they might be headed."

Rick nodded his head. "That's a good idea."

He thought for a moment looking over the map. They had been wary for supplies for the winter. When the weather gets worse they might have to hold up at some time. The extra food and equipment was something they needed. Rick then remembered the neighbourhood that had been stocked full of food. But it was overrun by walkers. It had been a while now, maybe the walkers had moved on and the food and supplies were still there. They needed to take that chance.

"Glenn, where was that neighbourhood a while back?"

Glenn looked at him oddly, pointing at the map. "Somewhere it this area, a little way off. Why?"

"We need to head back there."

"Elena ain't gonna wanna go back there," Daryl spoke up after being silent for so long.

"Daryl's right. It'll be too much for her," Glenn said. "A few of us can go separately, Elena can stay here with the others."

"The group is not separatin', we're stickin' together," Rick replied. "I thought I made that clear."

"Yeah, but—" Glenn stopped, adjusting his tone when Maggie put a hand on his arm. "Look, Rick, what happened there traumatized her. It's the reason she can't sleep for more than an hour."

"I know," he replied softly. "I know. But we need to go through there, if there's any supplies left, we need to take it."

Daryl shook his head. "Man, I dunno."

"I'll talk to her. She's been better since then, she'll understand." Rick looked toward everyone, each having doubt on their face.

Even though she hadn't been with them for very long, Elena looked like she had won the heart of the group, each knowing that Elena had trouble falling asleep at night, haunted by nightmares of that day. Rick wasn't being insensitive, he understood, but this was for the good of the group, they needed to push on and if it meant hurting Elena, unfortunately it had to be done.

* * *

"The cut has healed nicely," Hershel whispered, taking the tweezers near Elena's wrist again, pulling at the last piece of thread that had been her stitches.

Elena winced, the feeling uncomfortable and painful.

"There we are."

Elena looked it over, the cut on her wrist she got from broken glass over a week ago was now a pink faint line. "Left an ugly scar."

Hershel smiled at her. "Scars tell a story."

"I suppose. Thanks Hershel."

He patted her shoulder. "You're welcome. I pray you be more careful now with broken glass."

Elena laughed at that. "I'll try. No promises though."

"How about your sleeping patterns? How have they kept?"

She shrugged. "Same thing as usual, fall asleep for twenty minutes, then wake up. Then it happens another three more times before I just give up."

Hershel frowned. "That's not healthy. Maybe we oughta look for some sleepin' pills for you. Help you get some rest."

"No," Elena disagreed. "I don't want to be medicated. I don't want the chance that we get overrun at night and the pills make me too disoriented to help protect the group."

"If you don't start gettin' enough sleep, I'm afraid your body will crash eventually." Hershel saw the worried look on her face and sighed, giving her a reassuring smile. "We'll give it time, see it if gets better." She nodded to him.

"Elena?"

She looked over to her side at the call of her name. Rick stood there, his hand on his hips, a look of concern on his face.

"May I speak to you for a minute?"

She nodded to him, giving Hershel a final smile before walking off toward him.

"Everything alright? Did you figure out where we're heading next?" she asked him when she approached.

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about," he said quietly. "C'mon."

Rick pulled her away, off in a bit of distance for some privacy. He blew through his nose, looking away and back at her, a frown on his lips. Elena watched him, ultimately confused, and the expression on his face beginning to worry her.

"There's no easy way to say this...," Rick trailed off. Then inhaled and his eyes set on hers. "We're heading back to the neighbourhood."

Elena thought she didn't hear him right. "What?"

"The supplies there might be still intact and—"

"No way."

"Elena—"

"_No_." She stared at him hard. "You can't ask me to go back there."

"I'm not askin' you, I'm tellin' you."

Elena shook her head at him, completely bewildered. "Well, that's great. I don't even _get_ a choice."

"Look, I understand your feelings on this—"

"No you don't or else you wouldn't be telling me this." She looked away from him, bringing a shaky hand to her forehead. "You do know that what happened back there is the reason I still can't sleep, right?"

"I do."

"Then why are you doing this to me?" Elena was beginning to lose her composure, and she tried to take even breaths. She didn't want to cry. She hadn't cried about it for a while, and she knew that if she started she wasn't going to know how to stop.

Rick sighed, resting his hand on her shoulder. "Maybe it's what you need. To go back there, get some closure."

"_Closure_?" She pulled away from his hand. "I watched him _die_. I saw the light leave his eyes. I had his blood on _my_ hands. Then I watched you shoot him in the head. I think that's closure enough."

Elena had to walk away from him, wiping at her eyes, brushing past Lori who had been watching. She didn't really care, she just retreated, walking toward the Dodge Ram, jumping in and slamming the door behind her.

Lori looked over to her, then her eyes back on Rick, who was taking slow steps in her direction.

"We're heading back there?"

"Got no choice. It's a sure place we know that has things we need."

"Her brother-in-law _died_ there," Lori said, narrowing her eyes on him. "Do you have no sympathy?"

Rick's jaw went taut, his gaze on her angry. "It's for the good of the group. We need food, Lori, for the winter, for the baby—" He stopped himself from raising his voice. "We're heading there at noon, with Elena's consent or not."

Lori stared at him as he walked away from her, barely recognizing the man she married.

* * *

Elena heard a knock on her window and sighed. If that was Rick she might just blow up on him. She rubbed at her eyes, hoping there was no evidence that she had been close to tears. Her eyes were sore and itchy. Elena heard another knock and finally sat up, looking out the window. It wasn't Rick, it was Daryl.

Not much had happened between them after the night they decided to take things slow, see what this thing was between them. They hadn't really put a label on it, whether it was a relationship or what. They were still trying to get use to each other, accustomed with the way the other thinks and acts. Daryl wasn't so much for affection, Elena had learned. Not that he hated it but was uncomfortable by it. Elena took a guess that he wasn't very experienced with being with someone for more than just a night. He didn't voice it but she had a feeling. When he kissed her after she told him she'd back off if he wanted her to, his movements on her were feverish, not that she minded by all means but it made her wonder if Daryl had ever just slowed down and took his time. Just enjoyed it.

That was cut short anyway. Elena had to stop it before it went too far. She would have taken it all way if she could, thinking that the five day rule for dating really didn't apply here anymore. But Daryl was on watch and Elena didn't want to be the reason they were compromised. Although, she had reason to believe that Daryl wouldn't have let that happen either way. She wanted to keep things slow but at the same time how long did either of them have in this life? It was a hard thought.

Elena inhaled, finally rolling down her window.

"Come out," Daryl whispered to her, jerking his head to the side.

Elena shook her head at him and looked down toward her hands.

Daryl let out an exasperated breath, opening her car door. He stepped in between the opened door and the cab of the truck, resting his arms on either side, leaning in. He stared at her for a moment, then reached his hand toward her face, titling her chin toward him. Elena met his eyes, his expression serious. He pulled his hand away.

"We're headin' there at noon."

"I don't want to go," she said, her voice weak.

Daryl frowned. "Ain't got much choice."

Elena laughed, but it was voided from any real feeling. "Yeah, so I've noticed." She looked away from him again. She bit at her bottom lip, and she felt them again, the tears coming up, and she tried desperately to hold them back. She didn't want to cry in front of Daryl.

But he leaned forward, trying to look in her face. "What's wrong?"

Elena inhaled, and a tear slid down her cheek. She placed her hand over her mouth, trying to find her self control. She moved her hand to rub away at the tear. She couldn't look Daryl in the eye.

"I... All I can think about is how... His body won't even be there because the walkers would have..." Elena trailed off and closed her eyes, more tears falling down her face.

She could see it, Toni's body, being eaten, dismantled by walkers. The memory of him eaten away, like only a piece of meat, nothing but food, and the thought of that killed her. She never had the chance to bury him, to have him rest in peace. Now there wouldn't be a body left to bury.

Elena, after a moment felt a hand on her face, and a thumb wiping at her cheeks. Elena's eyes went back to Daryl's and he pulled away from her reluctantly, making Elena frown. She wished he wouldn't be so nervous around her, because right now she needed support. And she needed him.

"When I was a kid, my mom," he began, his words slow, "liked to drink, smoke in bed. One day, I was playin' with the kids in my neighbourhood when we heard sirens. Fire trucks were there, at my house. Place was burned down, my mom gone with it. Nothin' left of 'er. People thought it was better that way. I didn't know. Didn't really feel real, y'know? Didn't get to see 'er. Sometimes I didn't really believe she was gone. That was the hard part." Elena watched him, the tears had stopped. Daryl looked down for a second, still leaning between the door and the cab. "Truth is, there ain't no better way to deal with it, but maybe it'll give ya a chance to say goodbye."

A small smile lifted the corner of her lips. He was right. Elena lifted her hand to his arm, squeezing gently. "Thank you."

Daryl gave her a short nod.

He wanted to hold her, do something, but he wasn't exactly sure how. He hadn't seen her this vulnerable since Toni died, that you could hardly believe she was even capable of taking care of herself. He didn't want to see her cry, hated it when women did because he never really knew what to do even though he wanted to stop it. Daryl was still learning to deal with this, whatever _this_ was. Elena had been patient with him, more than he really deserved. He knew how to sleep with a woman, but Elena was different, she was... Special. And he was worried about screwing things up because it wouldn't be the first time. But Daryl was trying.

"C'mon," he said, lending a hand toward her. "Get somethin' to eat, clear yer head."

Elena hesitated but took his hand, letting him pull her out of the truck and close the door behind her.

* * *

T-dog glanced over at the passenger seat as he drove, looking over at Elena who had her head rested against her window, staring out into the empty farmlands they passed.

He sighed. "How you doin'?"

Elena was playing with the dog-tags around her neck, something she always did when she had something on her mind. She didn't answer for a bit, before parting her lips. "I'm trying...to deal."

T-Dog nodded his head. "Rick, he...it's no attack on you. We need the supplies and that place had it."

"I know," she replied truthfully. She didn't really know what to say after that.

"It'll be fine. You don't have to go in too far. You can stay a little ways back while we get everythin' sorted out." He looked at her again. "Lori, Beth and Carol can stay with you."

"Yeah." Elena didn't feel like talking anymore, just rather go on through the ride in silence. T-Dog noticed this and decided not to push it further, letting her sort it out on her own.

The drive was a long one and Elena was thankful for that, pushing it further helped put her at ease. She tried to stop herself from thinking of that day but she didn't have the power to do so. The images came at her quick and she had to try her hardest to not let them get to her. But remembering what she was telling Toni while he was bleeding out, promising him that everything was going to be okay even though it wasn't. She remembered begging him to stay with her, to not leave her alone. She kept the emotions bottled up inside of her, knowing full well that one day she was going to have to deal with it. She didn't want to and that's why she had been so angry at Rick. She was being forced to go through it without her being able to ready herself. But really how could anyone be really ready to move on from the death of a loved one? Elena thought she had, but she was lying to herself.

When she recognized the road ahead she felt her heartbeat begin to quicken and her head go hot, the anxiety kicking in. She could see passed the Chevy Suburban in front of them, the houses she remembered and she held onto her door handle tightly. T-Dog slowed the Dodge Ram far enough away, Rick's truck in front of them, blocking her view and she was grateful. T-Dog gave her one final glance before stepping out of the cab and jumping out.

Rick exited also, looking around the neighbourhood. It had changed.

Dead walkers littered the lawns and sidewalks. These weren't the walkers they had killed. Rick exchanged a glance with Daryl who was alongside him. Rick approached a body, turning it over with his foot. A bullet hole was in it's head.

"Someone's beatin' us to the punch," Daryl whispered, looking over another body.

"Shit," Rick muttered under his breath. He heard Maggie and Glenn come up behind them.

"You think there's anythin' left?" Maggie asked him.

Rick sighed. "I don't know. Looks like these walkers have been dead a while." He looked around to the distance also, seeing more of them. "Stay sharp, we'll look around see if they left anythin' behind. Glenn and Maggie will take that house, T-Dog and Daryl you head on over to the one next to it. I got the one over."

Everyone nodded and began filing out. Rick placed his hands on his hips. This was the last real shot they had, if there was nothing here Rick didn't know where the group was going to go, and he was becoming desperate. He couldn't help but look off toward the area where they had been last time, but what he had expected to see wasn't there. Rick inhaled and headed toward the house he said he would check out.

It wasn't much, but through the houses they went through there had been left over food, what looked to be mostly things that the people before them didn't want. But it was better than nothing, and they needed it. Whoever had been there before them must have been well armed. Each walker he had found were all dead by the bullet to the head, a lot of them.

Rick had Maggie, Glenn and T-Dog set what they could find outside while Carol, Lori, Hershel and Beth brought everything in the cars. Rick, Daryl and Carl set out to check the other houses, in case there was any live walkers they had missed.

Elena still sat in Dodge Ram, watching as the group took the supplies into the cars. No one had bothered her, knowing she needed her space and she had gotten sympathetic looks by both Lori and Carol. Elena was biting at her finger nails, tapping her foot against the trucks floor, staring at the dashboard. Her curiousity was there and she wanted to know. Wanted to know whether he was still there. What was wrong with her? Why did she need to be sure? Was it because she wanted to see him one final time? Elena slammed her hand against her door, pushing herself out. She _needed_ to know, whether it was good for her or not. She went, walking around the truck, her hand on the hood, supporting herself, her heart beating in her ears, bile stuck in her through. Tears were already welling up into her eyes before she even looked but when she did, she saw nothing. Toni's body wasn't there. Completely erased. Gone.

Elena broke, a sob escaping her and her legs gave out from under her. She crumbled to the ground, bringing her hands to her face and shook.

Lori had turned when she heard Elena drop and she placed the box of supplies in the Chevy and ran toward her. Elena was almost hysterical, and Lori ran her hand through her hair before wrapping her arms around her and pulling her to her chest, supporting her.

Elena took it, holding onto Lori. She could hear the gunshots echo in her head, Toni dropping to the floor, blood pouring from his chest onto her hands, him coughing, Toni's eyes on hers. It was the one time Elena saw those images pass through her eyes so vividly when she was awake and it was even worse than having the nightmares.

Daryl was there watching in the distance as Lori held onto her, supporting her. Why couldn't he do that? Why couldn't Daryl be there for her like Lori was now? He wanted to, he really did. But he was afraid, afraid she'd pull away from him because Daryl wasn't really sure how he could comfort her. Lori at least looked like she knew what she was doing and Daryl frowned looking at Elena as she had broken down. It was hard for him to see her that way.

Carol was beside him as they watched and Daryl looked at her, seeing that her eyes were glazed over. Carol met his eyes then, both exchanging a silence of words, because what they saw was almost the same reaction Carol had when she saw Sophia come out of the barn.

* * *

Carol helped Lori fold up the clean bed sheets Maggie had found, throwing it over the packed boxes of the little food they could scrounge up. It wasn't the amount they were expecting, but it was still something. Carol reached into one of the boxes, seeing a set of flowers in there, probably put in by Maggie as a sort of comfort that there was still some beauty in this world. Carol pulled out one that looked the least withered, recognizing it as a pink peony flower. Carol remembered having these flowers in her house before, she always bought them after she had done something, whatever it could be to make her late husband, Ed, angry and hit her. Peony flowers meant healing, and Carol held onto that, helping them bloom wishing that one day she too could grow and have the courage to take Sophia and leave Ed for good. That felt like so long ago.

Carol twisted the flower in her hand, and looked up to find Daryl. He was near by the truck, supposedly taking care of watching over the cars and women while the other men and Maggie were off. But his eyes were set on Elena who was away from him and who had calmed down considerably. She was leaning against the Dodge Ram, hugging her knees to her chest. Carol slowly made her way toward him, and reached out the flower to Daryl.

Daryl pulled his eyes away from Elena to Carol, then toward her hand that held a flower to him. "What's this?"

"Something for Elena, to give to Toni's resting place if she has the strength for it," Carol whispered to him. When Daryl didn't take it, she lent it closer. "It'll mean something more if it's you that gives it to her."

Daryl hesitated before taking the flower in his hand. He wasn't exactly sure why she was doing this.

Carol crossed her arms over her chest, staring at him. "You helped me get through what happened to my little girl, helped me stay strong. I think you can do that for her too."

Daryl looked at the flower in his hand then back at her. "Why?"

Carol had a sad smile on her lips. "You seem happy when you're with her. I can see it in her too."

Daryl didn't say anything. His relationship with Carol was a difficult one to decipher. They were close, not in a romantic sense but in a protective sense. Ever since he spent his time looking for her daughter, Carol was always there by his side, needing him. And maybe, although he wouldn't admit it, he needed her too. To show him that Daryl had a place in this group and was more than just a man on the sidelines. And he had stepped up. Carol was probably the only one that truly saw there was something between him and Elena also.

Daryl gave her a nod, an acknowledgement to her understanding. He walked away from her, flower in hand, toward Elena. She didn't lift her head when he reached her, and he bent down to her eye level. She looked at him then, sniffling and quickly began rubbing at her eyes, looking embarrassed. Daryl rested his arms on his knees, twisting the flower in his hands.

Elena was staring at it but she didn't say a word.

Daryl inhaled, gesturing to her. "Ya still wanna say goodbye?" She met his eyes and he gave her the flower then. "C'mon."

"I don't know..." She didn't make a move to get up when he grabbed her arm.

"Can take out walkers no problem and yer scared of goin' over there?" he asked her, his voice joking. He moved his hand to hers then, standing up, pulling her with him. He looked in her eyes, almost expecting her to pull away then but she didn't. She inhaled to herself, holding the flower tight in her hand. Daryl placed his hand on her back, pushing her forward, and walking alongside her toward where Toni had last rested. She stopped for a moment, staring and Daryl stopped with her, patient. Elena began walking again, fast this time, past Daryl and closer to where Toni had once laid.

Elena's breaths were shaky but she tried to hold on to herself, trying to focus, trying to remind herself that Toni was in a better place now. She stopped her steps away, standing the same place she stood that day. She looked down, the puddle of dried blood still there. The tears came back but this time they didn't take over. Elena found herself having the strength to bend down and placing the flower down, where Toni's memory still was. Her other hand held tight his dog-tags around her neck.

She was sorry, sorry it ended this way. Sorry that he had to suffer, sorry that he had to lose Amelia, sorry he had to go through everything. But she hoped that he was better off now, with Amelia, and happy, wherever he was. And maybe one day she would be able to meet him and her sister there too. But for now, she was okay where she was, and she prayed that Toni knew that. She really was fine, and she can finally let him go.

When Elena had the strength to stand up and turn, the group was all watching her. But her eyes weren't on them, they were on Daryl, who had been standing a foot or two away, kind enough to give her space. She gave a sad smile, one of gratitude and she saw the corner of his lips tug at that.

* * *

Elena adjusted the set up on the back of the truck, throwing a sheet over top so nothing would fly out while they were driving. It was a paranoid precaution but it helped her give her something to do. They were close to leaving, the last few houses had nothing of use except for some extra batteries for their flashlights. And judging by the clouds coming in it looked like it was going to rain soon, so it was better off that they would hit back on the road. Elena jumped out from the back of the truck, flattening the wrinkles in her shirt, looking back at the peony flower on the road.

It was then when she saw Rick coming toward her side. He also looked back toward the flower, running a hand through his brown hair. He looked at her.

"I am sorry," he said, his voice soft. "For pushin' you to come."

Elena shook her head. "No, Rick. It's okay, really." She smiled at him, but her eyes were still sad. "As much as I wanted to deny it, I needed this."

Rick returned the smile. "If you need more time here..." He trailed off.

"I'm alright. I did what I needed to. I just want Toni to rest in peace now."

Rick placed a supportive hand on her arm. "Despite the circumstance, I am glad you are a part of this group."

Elena had to inhale because his words struck her hard. "Thank you."

"Hang in there, you'll get through this. We all will."

Elena nodded her head, Rick smiling at her again, gently ruffling her hair. Rick looked past her, at something behind her, and his smile widened. He pulled his hand away from her, nodding his head at whoever was behind her then turned and walked off. Elena took the time to turn then, Daryl taking his leisure walking toward her.

"How ya holdin' up?" he asked her.

"I'm okay, like a weight's off my shoulders now."

Daryl nodded to her. "I didn't like 'im much, for the way he treated you. But...I think he would've been proud."

Elena took a step toward him, leaning forward and brushing her lips against his. She felt Daryl stiffen a little but then he relaxed just as Elena decided to pull away. Elena wanted to be closer to him, but she didn't want to push Daryl's comfort barrier too far. Plus, she doubted he was okay with public displays of affection in front of the others, and she understood that.

"You gave me the flower and pushed me to it," she whispered. "That did more for me than I think you know, Daryl."

"Ain't nothin'," he replied.

Elena shook her head. "You really don't give yourself enough credit."

Elena wondered what kind of life Daryl had before this. It was just the fact he seemed withdrawn at times, like he didn't really matter. But she wanted to make Daryl know he really was a great person. Not only had he been protecting the group for this long, but he also had a heart and Elena wondered if the others had experienced it as she had. Although subtle in his ways, Daryl cared and Elena could see this. She was definitely fortunate, finding this group, finding him. There was nothing Elena would have changed, because she knew Toni was happy now, and she was too.


	11. Chapter 11

**Okay so I feel like I have too much fun putting our group in difficult situations all the time, so here's a question for you guys. Wondering if you readers would like to see more down time between characters? Just let me know. I know though realistically I'm sure the group had to deal with these kinda situations during the winter, so I want to show the transition between season 2 and season 3, how they become scared and unsure to organized and not afraid of the walkers. On another note, anybody know for sure what the weather is like in Georgia? I don't live in America so I just been kinda researching and guessing as to how the weather would be like there. Anyway, as always, thanks to the new followers and the very very gracious reviews!**

**I take no credit for characters with the exception of Elena Lima and Toni Galvin.**

* * *

Elena wrapped her hoodie tighter around her, the cold air passing through. It had been raining nonstop for the past couple of days, but that afternoon the rain had finally ceased, leaving them with the cold temperature that was Georgia. The sky was still darkened, the clouds grey and angry looking. Elena hoped there wouldn't be a storm tonight.

"Is it just me or does it seem colder today?" Glenn asked, shivering as he rubbed Maggie's arms who huddled close to him.

"Sun's gone," Maggie answered him.

The group had taken a pit stop at the side of the road to organize and relocate themselves on the map after leaving the neighbourhood a few days ago, making sure they were headed in the right direction. Rick wanted to find good shelter. With the rainfall, they hadn't found a place that wasn't leaking and secured enough, and he didn't know if the group could handle sleeping in the cars again tonight. The only fortunate thing about the rain is that it sported them some extra water to drink for the road.

Elena pulled her hood over her head, wrapping her arms around her, watching Glenn holding Maggie somehow making her feel even colder.

"Whoa," Glenn suddenly exclaimed, slight laughter in his voice.

"What?" Maggie and Elena said in unison.

"Is Daryl sporting a new look?" he asked, pointing ahead. "It's very, um, Clint Eastwood."

Elena glanced over toward Daryl and immediately a smile spread against her lips. He was wearing the poncho she had given him.

"I think it suits him," Maggie whispered. "How 'bout you Elena?"

Elena looked over at Maggie who narrowed her eyes speculatively at her with a smirk on her lips. Elena glared at Glenn then. "You_ told_ her?"

"I'm sorry! She asked me and I'm a terrible liar," he said, defending himself.

"It's true, cracks faster than an egg." Maggie leaned forward, kissing him on the cheek.

Elena sighed. "Don't mention it near Daryl though. He isn't exactly forthcoming about this."

Glenn had been the only one to suspect anything, and after constant badgering, Elena finally gave in and told him the truth. That she liked Daryl. But Glenn wasn't exactly the best person to share things with, not that she wanted to keep her and Daryl a secret, but she thought Daryl would.

"Even I got more game than him and I'm a geek," Glenn remarked. "I'm still surprised you're into him."

"Why?"

He shrugged. "Daryl is...I don't know, socially awkward?"

Elena shook her head. Daryl may not have been the easiest person to get to know but that's what made Elena so interested in him. The mystery, as cliche as it was, was an attractive thing. And Elena didn't mind peeling back his layers until she got to know him more.

She finally sighed, rolling her eyes at Glenn. "I'm not talking about this anymore. Where's your sister, Maggie?"

"I think she's over there with Carol and Lori. Why?"

"I found some clothes at the last house we went to, but they're too small on me. I think they'll fit her." Maggie nodded her head and with that Elena walked away looking for Beth.

* * *

"We can make the turn off. It'll give us an hour ahead before night fall. Can find a house to hold up in for a while in case a storm rolls in," Rick spoke softly, checking over the map again.

"Sounds good," T-Dog spoke, looking up at the sky. "Clouds rollin' in, might start rainin' again soon."

"Should get goin'," Daryl said, pulling his crossbow off the truck.

"Yeah." Rick sighed, looking over toward Carl that stood beside him. He smiled slightly, adjusting the hat on his head. Carl had been along his side now every time he went over the plans, listening, learning. Rick was seeing him grow up to be a man every single day, which was a good thing now. He didn't want to have to worry about him every single second anymore.

T-Dog rolled up the map, just as Rick leaned away from the Chevy, running a hand through his hair. He took a few steps ahead, looking to his right, seeing Lori and Carol talking to Hershel. Something about the baby he presumed. He hadn't talked to his wife about their child, not since the farm. Rick didn't want to, it was the last thing he needed to think about now, last thing he needed to plan for. They had time. Rick wasn't exactly sure how far along she was, they hadn't exactly been counting down the days, and with the group having not much food, she looked thin. A baby bump wasn't something he could see. Or maybe he just didn't want to see it.

There was still the voice in the back of his mind though, one that he had tried to silence for so long, but it always came back. That voice of doubt whether the baby was even his or not. Whether it would have his eyes...or Shane's. Rick pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes, trying to rid away the thoughts. Those were the least of his worries. He opened them back up, placing his hands on his hips, looking up at the dark grey clouds above them. It looked like it could rain again any minute. Rick lowered his sight, staring across the road, into the forest.

Then, his eyes widened.

"_Christ_," he exclaimed under his breath. He turned, grabbing Carl who yelped in surprise. "Daryl, T-Dog, in the car! Now!"

T-Dog looked at him oddly, along with Daryl when they looked back.

Past the trees and the branches were walkers, off in the distance. At first they could only see ten, twenty. But more began appearing behind the trees, more than they could even count. T-Dog and Daryl ran around the truck with Rick, keeping themselves hidden.

"Lori! Hershel!" Rick called out to them, as loud a whisper as he could muster. "Get in the cars! Glenn, Maggie!"

They looked toward Rick, with only a second of hesitation before they jumped into the Hyundai. Rick pushed Carl quickly inside the front seat of the Chevy, Daryl and T-Dog getting in the back. Rick tried to peer out of the window, seeing the large crowd of walkers already reaching the road.

"Did anybody see Beth and Elena?" Rick asked.

"I...I think I saw them near the Dodge Ram," T-Dog answered quickly. "_Shit_, they don't know."

Daryl shot his eyes on T-Dog, who looked frightened with concern, he returned his eyes on Rick. "We gotta go back—"

Rick gritted his teeth. "There's at least fifty to seventy walkers out _there_."

"Maybe I can sneak out, go through the back—," Daryl tried to reason, his voice less calm than it normally was.

Rick gave him a hard look. "They've already reached the road—" Rick cut himself off, hearing the moans from outside the doors. "Carl get down!" He shoved his son down to the floor of the truck, doing the same in what little room they had. "Everyone keep quiet."

"Dad? What about Elena? Beth?"

Rick looked toward his son, his eyes frightened. Rick tried to look at him with reassurance. "Elena is a smart girl, if she saw them I'm sure she's already hidin'."

Hearing his words, Daryl gripped the crossbow in his hands tightly.

* * *

"It's not bran new or name brand, but I think it will fit you fine," Elena said, lifting the jeans she had in her hands against Beth's small frame.

Beth gave her a sweet smile. "It will do alright. Thanks, Elena."

She returned the smile. "Hey, no problem. I think I have some sweaters here you can borrow also." Elena turned back to the backseat of the cab, going through her duffel bag. "The weather is getting colder and—" When Elena looked up, across the seat through the window on the other side of the cab she cut off her sentence.

Beth came up behind her. "What's wrong?"

"Beth...Beth, get in the truck." Elena grabbed Beth's arm, who looked at her in confusion.

"What—"

"Shhh," Elena quickly shushed her, pulling her in the backseat. She pulled Beth with her to the floor of the truck, reaching for the door behind them and closing it quietly, locking it.

"What's going on?" Beth whispered, looking frightened.

"Herd of walkers." Beth's eyes widened and Elena grabbed her shoulder. "We just have to keep quiet, okay? They'll walk on by, but we have to keep quiet."

Beth nodded her head slowly, biting her bottom lip, tears coming to her eyes. Elena held Beth against her, hoping they were hidden enough away from the windows. All she could hear was her steady breathing, Beth's fast breaths, and the moans coming from outside. Elena could hear them, walking alongside the truck, dragging their feet against the road. She stared toward the window across from her with wide eyes, only able to see just the top of some of the walkers' heads, neither of them close enough. Elena held Beth tightly, the young girl clenching the fabric of her hoodie, trying to shield her eyes away. It was then did Elena saw the face of a walker. She could hear it moan, looking in through the cab, it's grayed out eyes passing her and Beth as it looked around. Elena tried to steady her breathing, keeping her eyes on the walker as she pulled away one hand that was holding Beth, reaching for her knife in her pocket.

Beth slowly opened her eyes, turning her head slightly away from Elena's neck. She glanced at the walker staring in and let out a cry.

Elena slapped her hand over her mouth as Beth started to sob, her heavy breathing muffled against her palm. The walker had twitched at the sound, coming closer to the cab of the truck. It placed it's hands on the window and peered further in, it's eyes stopped straight into Elena's and Beth's widened ones. The walker growled, starting to bang against the window, and Beth screamed again underneath Elena's hand. Another walker came up beside it, noticing the other walker's attention, seeing the fresh human meat in the cab. It started banging on the window also, followed by another walker and another one, until the throng started pushing and shoving each other to be in the front against the window.

Elena tried to think, grabbing her knife and switching the blade out. But with the walkers banging against the car, Beth crying, frightened beside her and her own heart beating fast, Elena didn't know what to do. She heard banging behind her then and looked up, walkers against the other side of the truck trying to get in. With the amount of walkers moving and hitting their fists against the cab, the truck started slightly rocking and all Elena could do was pray to God that the glass from the windows would hold out.

* * *

"You hear that?" T-Dog whispered.

Everyone listened to the sounds of growls and fast feet along with the sound of banging. Rick inhaled and pulled himself up carefully, ducking when he saw a walker near his window, but the walker was walking away, behind the truck toward something. Rick tried to peer through the windshield, able to see the back of the Hyundai, where he met the frightened eyes of his wife, Hershel and Carol beside her. Rick looked toward the back, gazing through the rear view window.

"Oh no..."

"What's wrong?" Carl asked quickly.

Daryl lifted himself fast, seeing the shock in Rick's eyes and he felt his heartbeat begin to pick up the pace. He looked toward the direction Rick's eyes were in and saw it. His heart started beating wildly.

The Dodge Ram was surrounded by almost the entire herd of walkers, each one trying to reach to whatever was inside the truck, and Daryl knew what.

"What do we do?" T-Dog asked, looking also, his voice frantic.

Rick tried to think, but there was no way they could take down a herd that big. "We can't go out there."

"Beth and Elena are in there, man!"

Daryl was staring, adrenaline pumping hard through his veins.

"To hell with this!" He opened his door.

"Daryl!"

He could hear Rick shouting behind him but he ignored it, closing his door quietly as he crouched down, readying his crossbow. He peered from behind the truck, pulling back as a walker strode by. He had to get in there quick and pull Elena and Beth out before one of the walkers had strength enough to shatter the windows. Daryl inhaled, trying to calm himself so he could analyze the situation. The crowd of walkers were on the left side of the truck mostly. There was a short amount on the other side and judging by the walkers that were reaching toward the windows in the backseat, Elena and Beth were probably held back there. There was enough of them that Daryl could take out if he was quick. He looked toward the forest at the side. He'd have to make his way around. Daryl took in quick breaths, readying himself, then spurt forward, keeping himself low, using the trees for cover as he urged closer to the truck.

The walkers paid him no mind and he drew close up behind them, lifting his crossbow. He shot out an arrow and a walker dropped. Daryl reloaded another one, aiming again just as a few walkers turned toward him. He shot again, killing another and pulled out his knife. A walker started approaching him. He pierced the knife into its head, letting him fall, momentarily abandoning it as he dodged the reaching hands of a walker. Daryl pulled at the arrow from one of the walkers he killed, reloading his crossbow. He slammed the butt of his firearm against a walker's jaw, hearing a sickening crack before releasing an arrow into another. Daryl tried to steady his breathing and focus, making sure he was watching his sides so he wouldn't be caught off guard if a walker was behind him. He slammed the butt of the crossbow again against a walker near the truck, the force smashing it's skull into pieces. A walker came up toward Daryl's side and he lifted his leg, kicking it against it's chest. The walker fell, bringing a couple more down with it. Daryl ran for his knife, grabbing it and taking down the walker that had fallen. Fast on his feet, he reached toward the backseat of truck but the door was locked.

"Elena! Open the door!"

Elena heard Daryl's voice above her and she hesitated before reaching for the lock.

"No!" Beth shouted at her.

"It's okay, Daryl's out there," Elena reassured her. She unlocked the door.

The door drew open in that instant and hands were on her. Beth screamed and Elena tensed up when she realized it was Daryl pulling her out.

"C'mon! Ain't got all day!" he was yelling. He pulled back suddenly, firing an arrow, a walker coming at his side.

Elena jumped out of the truck, pulling Beth with her who held onto her tightly. Daryl began backing up, seeing the other walkers starting to make their way around the truck. Daryl lowered his crossbow, grabbing Elena's wrist and started running.

They ran as fast as they could into the forest, dodging branches and trees. After a bit, Daryl let go of Elena, leading the way further in, the walkers right behind. Beth then stopped running, tugging on Elena's arm.

"We have to go back!" she was screaming. "Dad and Maggie are there—"

Elena grabbed her shoulders. "We can't. Beth, listen to me, the walkers are right behind us. We need to lead them away from the others."

"But—"

"It's going to be okay, we're faster than them. We're going to go as far as we can and circle around them," Elena tried to reassure her. She looked back at Daryl, who nodded his head. Elena brought her sights back on Beth who looked utterly terrified, until she saw the walkers approaching. "C'mon." Elena wrapped her arm around Beth's shoulders and started running again, Daryl behind her, pushing her forward.

* * *

Rick stepped out of the truck when it was safe enough, running to the edge of the forest. The entire herd was making their way after Daryl, Beth and Elena. Maggie came running behind him and Hershel pulled her back.

"No, Beth...!" she choked out.

"We have to do something," Glenn spoke. "We can't leave them out there with that herd following them."

"Daryl knows what he's doing. He's leading them out," Rick said softly.

"With a herd that size?" Carol exclaimed. "You need to go help them."

"What can we do?" he asked. "We're low on ammunition and there's too many of them to take hand to hand."

"We're just going to leave them out there?" Lori looked at him with wide eyes.

"We stay here. They're gonna lead them out far enough then circle around, I know it."

Just then a bright flash enveloped them and a few seconds after an explosion of a crack. Rick looked up in time for a drop of water to fall on his face, followed by another, then another before rain began to pour.

* * *

The rain was falling down on them fast as they continued running. Elena tried to follow up with Daryl as close as she could, pulling Beth alongside her. The walkers behind them looked farther and farther away and it gave them the chance to slow down and catch their breath but keep moving. Elena wiped her wet hair out of her face and looked back at Beth who was rubbing her arms and shivering. Elena unzipped her hoodie, pulling it off and wrapping it around Beth's shoulders. When Elena looked back, she noticed Daryl watching her. He then bent, resting his crossbow on the ground and pulled off his poncho, handing it toward Elena. Elena gave him a nod of gratitude and pulled it over her head, the fabric warm.

Daryl placed his hand on her back, pushing her forward again. He returned his eyes behind them, seeing the walkers in the distance but still coming.

It felt like hours while they walked, the rain still not letting up, the wind cold against them, and the sky getting darker. It was close to evening. Daryl had started leading the way off to the right now rather than forward, hoping that the walkers would keep heading in that direction. They were growing tired, barely jogging now and all heavily breathing. Beth was starting to lag behind and Elena had to continue pulling her along, picking her up when she fell a couple of times.

"Daryl," Elena whispered through pants.

He looked back at her then, his face shiny with sweat and rain, his hair wet and draped down his forehead.

"We need to find somewhere to stop for a bit," she said, and looking down at Beth who looked utterly exhausted.

"Gotta keep movin'," he replied, grabbing Elena's arm.

Elena tried to catch her breath. "I know, but it's getting too dark and I don't think Beth can go any further."

Daryl looked into Elena's pleading eyes then down to Beth. He nodded his head slowly. "We'll keep goin' a bit more, find somewhere 'til the rain stops."

Elena nodded her head. "Okay," she managed to say, pulling Beth with her as they continued on.

Elena had to narrow her eyes as they walked, it was started to get too dark to be able to see and Elena could barely see Daryl a few feet in front of her. However, when he stopped, Elena did the same and looked over his shoulder. Ahead of them was a small tent.

"Stay close," she heard Daryl whisper before slowly starting to walk toward it. When they got closer, Daryl lifted his hand, signalling her and Beth to stay back as he went to investigate.

Daryl lifted his crossbow, walking past the fold up chair that was on it's side and the burnt out wood that he supposed was once a bonfire. He circled around the tent, seeing a streak of blood that stained the surface. Daryl tried to look toward the ground, narrowing his eyes to see as much as he could. The leaves were disturbed, but from a long time ago and the trail was old. Whoever was living in this tent had been dragged off, and best guess was by a walker. Daryl waved his hand toward Elena, for the two women to come closer as he started slowly unzipping the entrance of the tent. He placed the strap of his crossbow over his shoulder and pulled out his knife, entering in.

Elena waited, anxious, hearing for any sounds within the tent. She looked down at Beth in her arms. She had stopped crying, but was out of breath and quiet and leaning hard against her. Elena sighed with relief when Daryl stepped back out, pulling back the entrance to the tent, waving her in. Elena walked, pushing Beth in first and following after. The tent was empty with an exception to the lone sleeping bag, but neither her or Beth went near it. Beth moved, taking a seat in the corner, her knees drawn up close to her chest. Elena heard her sniffle and she looked back at her.

"We can't stay here," Beth managed to choke out.

Elena sighed. "It's too dark to keep walking in the forest. We'll get lost."

"What if Rick leaves without us?"

She shook her head. "Your father wouldn't allow that." Beth rubbed at her eyes, sniffing back her tears again. "Try to get some rest, okay? I'll wake you if anything happens."

Beth shook her head but Elena could see her eyes were half closed already. After a bit of refusal, Beth finally laid down on her side, and after a few minutes had fallen asleep from exhaustion. Elena pulled the poncho off her, the fabric of it somewhat dry and laid it over her just as Daryl entered inside.

"How she doin'?"

"She's out," Elena answered him. She ran a hand through her wet hair when Daryl came, sitting down beside her. She could still hear the rain coming down, hitting the tents like the sound of light thuds. Elena saw a flash of light and a few seconds after a loud crack of thunder. She pulled her legs up toward her, rubbing at her arms, the cold air touching her hair making her cold.

She then felt a hand on her arm, and she slid her eyes toward Daryl, who exhaled before gestured his head to the side, motioning her to come closer. Elena did so, dragging herself in between Daryl's arched legs. She hesitated at first, unsure how far she should go, not knowing how much Daryl was comfortable with. But his hands grabbed her arms, pulling her closer to him until her back rested against his chest. Elena could feel his breath against her neck, his body heat completely enveloping her. He slowly placed his arm around her, holding her and Elena finally relaxed, leaning against him completely. She felt him slightly tense up, his hands on her hesitant. She could feel his heartbeat against her, the rhythm fast and Elena realized his heartbeat was matching hers. Elena closed her eyes and rested her head against the crook of his neck. She was surprised Daryl hadn't withdrawn away from her yet, surprised that he held onto her.

"You came for us," Elena whispered after a moment.

"Had to."

Otherwise he could of lost her, and that wasn't something Daryl was willing to let happened. Not now, not when things were going the way they were.

Daryl could hear Elena's steady breathing as she rested against him, and he held onto her, trying to convince himself that he had to get use to this, use to being close to her. He was inexperienced, and he still wasn't anywhere near boyfriend material but it didn't change the fact that he wanted her, wanted her safe. If he had to push past his boundaries, fine, it didn't matter, because right now all that mattered was that she was with him, breathing, alive. And that was something he wasn't going to take for granted.

Daryl had his arm rested against his knee, the other holding onto his crossbow. Elena still rested against him, asleep now. He wanted to go back out there, make sure the area was safe for a bit longer, hoping that no walkers from the herd had stridden near them. But Daryl didn't have the strength to move and wake her. For once she was sleeping and Daryl knew this for sure. When he was not on watch some nights, he sometimes went to check up on her, something she and the others didn't know about. But every time he saw her, she was never resting peacefully. Every time he saw her, she looked restless, either shaking or moving about. Dreaming, he thought, the same dream over and over again. Daryl wondered if she was still having the nightmares even after they went back to the neighbourhood, thinking that finally saying goodbye to her brother-in-law would rest easy that part of her brain that was still holding onto him. But right now she didn't move, didn't stir, and maybe it was because she felt safe, because he was with her.

Then, he heard a crack outside.

Daryl involuntarily made a move to get up and Elena tensed, waking. She turned her tired eyes on him, slowly becoming alert.

"What's wrong?"

Daryl brought his finger to his lips, signalling her to be silent. And she did, pulling away from him, reaching toward Beth, waking her up also. Daryl stood, holding his crossbow in his hands, taking slow steps toward the door. He started unzipping it slowly, looking back at Elena who sat with Beth, holding her. Stepping out, Daryl looked around, searching, zipping up the tent door behind him. He gazed around, squinting his eyes through the darkness. It was hard to even see a few steps in front of him, let alone the area. He looked up, the cold rain hitting his face. He stepped forward, purposely brushing his boots against the dried leaves beneath him. Lifting his crossbow, he waited, looking to his left, right, ahead of him.

Nothing.

Daryl sighed. It could have been a stupid raccoon scurrying off, he thought. Daryl tried to look off in the distance again, trying to make sure. Then, he heard a moan. Swiftly, he turned, aiming. The rain kept hitting against his eyelids, making it hard to see and he tried to focus, watching the walker's movements as it walked toward him. He shot an arrow then, missing as the walker slipped on the mud underneath it. Daryl tightened his jaw, lowering his crossbow in annoyance and pulled out his knife. But before he could withdraw it from it's sheath, a blade pierced straight through it's skull. It was then pulled back and the walker dropped.

Elena inhaled, looking up at Daryl. She saw the look in his eye and she turned back to the tent where she had left Beth safely.

"Time to go, Beth," she whispered.

Beth nodded her head and took the hand she lent, walking out of the tent.

"Stay close to me," Daryl said, grabbing Elena's wrist gently and started walking.

Although it was fairly dark, and the rain hadn't settled, Elena trusted Daryl that he knew where he was going because at this point he had been there for her, protecting both her and Beth and there was no reason to doubt him. Not even for a second.

* * *

The sun was slowly coming up and still nothing. Maggie stood alongside Hershel staring into the forest waiting. Glenn placed a hand on his girlfriend's shoulder, but couldn't give her a look of reassurance because he too was worried. Rick paced alongside the road. He tried to get everyone calm, to have them take rest while they waited but no one could really fall asleep, what with the herd that was still probably close by and the thought that Daryl, Elena and Beth may not have made it, no one could sleep through that. Rick scratched at the back of his head, this whole situation reminding him of the herd on the highway. What was he going to do? He couldn't leave. He couldn't stay. He had to make some sort of decision soon because right now it was a fifty/fifty chance that they even made it out alive.

Rick wanted to believe, he did. Daryl was capable, Elena too. Beth still needed to learn, but she was young and scared. He didn't know the possibilities, especially from a herd that big. Maybe they had outrun them, but they couldn't have ran all night. Maybe they took shelter somewhere, it had been too dark, there was no way they continued on. And maybe the walkers could have reached them then.

"They're not back yet?"

Hearing Lori's voice behind him, Rick turned, looking at her and shook his head. Lori frowned, wrapping her arms around her.

"We can't stay here too long...," he whispered, unsure of his own words.

Lori knew this. "We can't just leave them out there either."

Rick didn't say anything, because ultimately she was right. Daryl was a soul member of the group, Beth was Hershel's daughter and Elena had grown to be a part of them also. And it was then that Rick saw that the people he was with now, the people he had helped protect through this, was now family. And he couldn't leave family behind.

"Beth? Beth!"

Rick perked up at Maggie's voice and looked off into the distance, Beth running toward them.

* * *

Elena climbed the slope, smiling at the sight of the cars. She knew full well that Rick wouldn't have left them behind, but it was still a relief to see. She was exhausted, dirty and sore from the long walk, Daryl always there to drag her forward, giving her the strength to be able to pull Beth along to safety as well. Beth had run ahead, thankful and excited to be back with her family. Elena pulled herself onto the road, exerted but alleviated.

Daryl walked behind her, holding the strap that held his crossbow over his shoulder. He watched her, contemplating, remembering how he saw the crowd of walkers trapping her in the truck, remembering the helplessness in Rick's voice. But Daryl had to do something, and he did without even thinking that he was putting himself in danger just to save her. And he would do it ten times over. He couldn't let anything happened to her, not if he had strength enough to stop it. Some things are worth fighting for and Daryl had learned, through these days knowing her, her being patient with him and wanting to be closer to him, she was definitely worth the fight.

Reaching back on the road, behind the Dodge Ram, Daryl grabbed her, taking Elena by the arm, pressing her against the truck. His lips were on hers before he gave her time to react, something he wanted to do since he pulled her out of the truck. But with Beth with him, he hadn't been able to.

Elena almost gasped in surprise, her body still on edge from the run. But when she recognized the heat that was Daryl she let herself melt against him, threading her fingers through his damp hair, pulling him closer. Daryl drew away from her after a moment staring at her and Elena saw it. The look in his eye. The same look you would have when you didn't want to let something go.

Elena brought a hand toward his face, and for the first time he didn't recoil or flinch away and she couldn't help but smile.

"Where's Elena and Daryl?"

Looking down, Elena pulled her hand away at the sound of Glenn's question and Daryl pulled back from her, looking away. One step at a time, Elena thought. Although he wasn't able to open himself to the others, at least he was starting to open up to her, a little bit at a time. Elena moved around from the truck, Daryl behind her. She spotted Maggie and Hershel hugging Beth and the others nearby. A bright smile spread through Glenn's face at the sight of her and jogged toward Elena, pulling her into a tight embrace.

"Thank God you're okay," he exclaimed.

Lori, Carol and Carl were at her side also, Lori grabbing her into a hug and Carol placing an affectionate hand on her shoulder, Carl smiling up at her. Elena felt the emotion bottle up inside, a the warmth that these people cared about her well being, and she took it all in without hesitation. Maggie grabbed her also, thanking her more times than she needed to for protecting her little sister.

Elena pulled away from her. "Thank Daryl, not me."

Maggie brought her glossy eyes toward him and he gave her and Hershel a nod as a gesture.

"We oughta leave now," Hershel then spoke up when the rush of relief settled. "You alright, Beth?"

She nodded her head, holding onto her father. She looked over at Elena, beaming at her and she sent her a warm smile. Hershel pulled her with him, along with Maggie and Glenn, everyone returning to the cars.

"Glad you made it okay."

Elena brought her eyes toward T-Dog and thanked him before he entered the Dodge Ram. She turned just in time as Daryl walked past her, and she grabbed his arm, stopping him in mid stride. "Thank you, Daryl, for everything."

He shrugged a shoulder. "It's what we do."

Although his reply was uncommitted, Elena could still see something in his eye, his meaning deeper than he let on. She watched him for a bit longer before turning her sights to her side, Rick standing by them.

Rick gave her a small smile and a nod, as a show of gratitude that she was okay. Elena saw Rick and Daryl exchange a look and took the hint, giving Daryl a final squeeze on his arm before jumping into the Dodge Ram beside T-Dog.

Daryl stared at Rick for a moment, before he started walking, brushing past him. Daryl wasn't upset with him, but he couldn't help but be a little annoyed at the fact Rick hadn't jumped at the chance to help Elena or Beth. Maybe it was because he didn't want to see more people in danger, but it still bothered him. When he noticed Rick was following after him, Daryl exhaled.

"Ya gonna tell me it was reckless I went after 'em?"

Rick didn't answer him right away, walking alongside him until he reached his motorcycle. "No. No, I think you did what you thought was right."

Daryl stopped at his bike, securing his crossbow at the back. "So what? No lecture?" his voice soft and leveled.

Rick stared at the man who had changed a lot considerably. He was definitely not the same man he met at the quarry, the same man who hated him for cuffing his brother to a roof. Daryl had changed into a person who he could rely on, especially after his ambition to search for Sophia. He was the only one who was determined as he was to find the girl. Rick then learned that Daryl was the one person he could rely on, even more than Shane. Rick placed a hand on Daryl's shoulder, causing him to stare at him.

"Thank you for helpin' me protect this group."

Daryl didn't say anything and Rick gave him a look of sincere indebtedness before he turned away. Rick had a heavy weight on his shoulders, to keep this group safe and together, a weight that maybe he couldn't carry on his own. But he now knew that he didn't have to completely hold that heavy burden himself, that Daryl was there to back him up and keep the others safe as much as he was determined to do so also.


	12. Chapter 12

**I think by far, this is my most favourite chapter I have written. This chapter is inspired by the movie 'The Book of Eli' and also by Hershel's words in episode 9 of season 3 where he tells Tyreese and his gang the group had trouble with people before. So, mmhmm, I guess you can figure out where this chapter will go. :) Also, after the last chap, got a ridiculous amount of new followers, thank you guys! Glad you're liking the story. Thanks for the reviews so far, kinda feeling the pressure of making each chapter better than the last now, haha.**

**I take no credit for characters with the exception of Elena Lima and Toni Galvin.**

* * *

"God, I miss the radio," Elena said, her hand tight on the steering wheel as she drove behind Rick. "What I'd kill for some music for these hour long drives."

T-Dog laughed, sitting beside her on the passenger seat, he looked out through his window. "All the radio played were the same five songs over and over again."

"I wouldn't even care."

He looked toward her. "Want me to sing for you? Sounds like that's what you need."

"No, thanks." Elena smiled. "How much farther do you think we're going?"

Shrugging, he looked back on the road. "'Til Rick thinks its a good idea to stop, find some more houses to look through."

"Do you think we can do this everyday? Go house to house?"

"We're gonna have too, before it starts snowin'."

Elena nodded her head. "At least it's not raining anymore."

"Hell, as long as we don't have to deal with a large herd of walkers again I can deal with the weather."

"Easy for you to say, you weren't being chased by them."

"Ah shit, sorry."

Elena shook her head. "It's fine, we got out okay. The herd is probably miles behind us now."

"Daryl Dixon, always the hero." T-Dog snickered. "Never was like that either."

"No?" Elena was suddenly curious, taking her eyes from the road and looking back at him. "What was he like?"

"Ah ha, right. Sometimes I forget you haven't been with us for so long," T-Dog said to himself. "Daryl mostly kept to himself. We had this camp, back at a quarry. About thirty of us staying there." Elena frowned at that, they had lost so many. "Him and Merle—that was his older brother—"

"Yeah, Daryl mentioned him."

"—Yeah, well they kinda stayed away from the camp, weren't much for socializin' with us. Anyway, we needed supplies so a few of us were out in Atlanta, Merle was with us causin' trouble. Rick cuffed him up on a roof, and we had no choice but leave him."

Elena furrowed her brow. "Why the hell would you do that?" She didn't know much about Merle, Daryl barely talked about him, but the way Daryl spoke, he didn't seem that much of a bad guy.

T-Dog frowned, rubbing his hand over his bald head. "I dropped the key down a drain." He paused for a moment, leaning his head back against his headrest. "We got back to camp and told Daryl. He was pissed, as he should have been. So, Rick, Daryl, Glenn and I went back for him. Daryl was close enough to his brother to not give a shit about the rest of the camp."

Elena was thoughtful before she replied, "You said Merle _was_ his brother... What happened to him?"

He shook his head at the question. "When we got to the roof he was gone."

"He got out of the cuffs?"

"Cut himself out."

Elena shivered at the thought of that. She thought of how Daryl must have felt having seen that, and she felt for him. "Sorry I asked."

"Daryl changed though. Became more involved, and he's less of an asshole than he use to be. Saved my life couple of times."

Nodding her head, Elena moved her eyes back on the road. She wondered if things would have been the same had she met Daryl before rather than later. What if Merle was around, would he have even bothered with her? But then she thought how pointless it was to think that, she knew Daryl as the man he is now, not as the man he was in the past. And she was attracted to this Daryl, the person he was before didn't matter in the least. After all, everyone had a chance to redeem themselves, and maybe an apocalypse was what had to make that happen for anyone to take that step. Elena didn't think she changed much, except for the fact that she had become completely desensitized with the blood and gore she had seen. Now she could kill a walker with out the blood making her throw up.

When the apocalypse started, Elena was barely much of a fighter. She dropped out of college, giving up and spent her days sending resume after resume to any office place that would take her. She wasn't living the dream, but she was too much of a coward to fight for one. She also wasn't very close to her sister either, but she was close to Toni. In fact, if it weren't for Toni, Elena thought that maybe she wouldn't have seen her sister as often. Amelia lived in Atlanta also but the effort to reunite wasn't there. After her parents divorced then remarried and moved to Canada, Elena and her sister went separate ways. But Toni had pushed them to see each other especially when he came back from his tours in Afghanistan. And Elena realized that it had been the apocalypse that truly made them close. Toni had been the one to seek her out, and take her and Amelia to evacuate Atlanta. It was sad that the end of the world could change things for not just the worst but for the better also.

Elena learned to defend herself then, learned to conquer her fear, admiring Toni and following his lead as they pushed to survive. Until everything fell apart and they lost Amelia. But everyone had lost someone. Elena probably had lost her parents also if this infection, or whatever the hell it was, had gone global. But the worst part of it all, with the world changing, people changed with it and sometimes it wasn't the dead you had to worry about, it was the living too. Elena was thankful that she had found Daryl, Rick—everyone, and they were more than decent people. They were good people.

"Hey, whoa, hold up," T-Dog suddenly spoke.

"What's wrong?" Elena asked him.

"Daryl's stoppin'." T-Dog was trying to peer at the side of the Chevy Suburban in front of them. It was then that the break lights on the Chevy also illuminated.

Elena put her foot on the brakes, slowing down the Dodge Ram and stopped. She waited, looking in her rearview mirror to see Glenn in the Hyundai stopping behind her. Elena looked back to see Rick quickly step out of the truck before she heard a commotion outside.

"The hell is goin' on?" T-Dog asked.

"Roadblock?"

T-Dog looked at her before stepping out of the truck, Elena followed after him. Together they walked past the Chevy to see Rick and Daryl, a step away from his bike, and a woman ahead of them yelling.

"Please help me! I can't find my daughter! She ran out into the forest! Those things might get her! _Please_!"

The woman was close to hysterical, pleading and begging toward Rick and Daryl. She was a few steps away from them, her eager hands stretched out in front of her, her expression that of urgency. Her light hair was messy, draping over her face that looked to have been creased with dirt. Her clothes were also dirty, stained and ripped in various places, almost like rags.

Elena approached closer behind Rick and Daryl. "What's going on?"

The woman's pleas suddenly stopped when her eyes met Elena's.

"Calm down," Rick spoke softly, taking a careful step toward her. "How long ago did you lose your daughter?"

The woman started shaking her head, taking another step back, still staring at Elena, and Elena could only look at her in confusion. She took a step closer to Daryl. He looked at her, having noticed the same thing.

"Ma'am?" Rick tried again.

"No, no, no. It's fine. I'm okay."

"Do you need help?" Elena asked her then.

The woman continued to back off, still shaking her head. "No, I don't need your help. Please—please leave."

Elena watched her, the woman's look of urgency gone, now replaced with regret and what looked to be fear. Rick took another step forward before a whistle interrupted the silence. Heavy feet could be heard as men, one after the other, appeared around them, running out of the forest on either side. Each man held a firearm, some more lethal than the other, and they were all aimed toward her, Rick, Daryl and T-Dog. Elena stepped closer toward Daryl, who stepped in front of her, immediately lifting his crossbow. Rick pulled out his revolver without hesitation and T-Dog followed his action.

The woman was still backing away, shaking, her face in her hands when one of the men reached her, grabbing her chin forcefully, whispering something in her ear. The woman retreated then.

"Get back in the truck," Daryl told Elena over his shoulder.

"Ah ah ah," the man that had whispered to the woman stepped closer, his assault rifle raised toward Daryl. "You stay there, lil' lady. No one is goin' anywhere."

Daryl stepped further in front of Elena, shielding her and she reached around to her waistband for her pistol, holding the handle tight in her hand, but waited. She could feel her heartbeat pumping in her ears, her body freezing up. She knew who these people were to be and fear rushed through her.

The man took another step forward and Rick aimed his Python toward him. "One more step and I will pull the trigger."

The man laughed, looking toward his men who did the same. "Big man with a tiny gun. What you gonna do?"

"Blow yer brains out, that's what," Daryl spoke, his voice rough.

"Says Robin Hood over here," another man said, and the men laughed again.

Rick shifted his eyes toward each one of them, his gaze sharp and his Python still held tight in his hand. He looked back at the man that he assumed was the leader. "What do you want?"

"Didn't you hear?" he asked. "Poor Angel was lookin' for her daughter. Right boys?"

The men laughed again.

Daryl looked back at Elena, his eyes stern. "_Go_."

"Hey." They heard movement as the leader loaded his weapon. "What did I _say_?" He stared angry toward Daryl, the laughter gone from his face and the barrel of his firearm pointed straight toward him. Daryl tensed up at the danger, his muscles flexing as he hovered his finger on the trigger of his crossbow, his sight looking through the red scope toward the leader's head.

"Rick," T-Dog whispered, exchanging a look with him.

Elena stood there frozen, acknowledgement of the situation rushing her brain. It was all too familiar. Only exception was she wasn't hiding behind some bushes like last time. Oh God, she thought, praying that Glenn and the others would stay in the car. There was too many of them, ten, all of them so heavily armed that they might as well have been a small army. Bandits, hijackers.

"So, tell me cowboy, whatcha got over there?" The leader of the group jerked his chin toward their vehicles.

"Nothin' that concerns you." Rick's voice was low, dangerous. He had dealt with these kinds of people before, back in the bar where he had to retrieved Hershel. People, men, that were willing to use force to take what they wanted without remorse or regret to what they did to get it. Worst of it all, was that Lori and Carl were in the truck behind him, _his _family. And they were surrounded.

"I think we can have a fair deal here, no? You see my boys are hungry, kinda runnin' low on food, y'know? We're all human here. Why don't you spare some?"

"Ain't got nothin' to spare," Daryl remarked.

"Hey, yo, Robin Hood, I ain't talkin' to you!" The leader looked back toward Rick, waving his rifle in front of him carelessly. "Winter's comin', man, my men gotta eat."

"So do my people."

"Is that so?" The leader stepped even closer, causing Daryl and T-Dog to advance. He looked to either of them, a snide smile on his lips before he shook his head. "Y'all don' take kindly to strangers, do you?"

Rick had his finger brushing against the trigger, staring straight into the man's eyes without blinking, knowing very well if he faltered at any moment, the men would see that as a weakness and attack.

The man tilted his head, then pointed his gun toward their vehicles. "How many people ya got? Men, women?" He then looked toward Elena. "Anymore pretty ones like 'er?"

Elena shivered at tone of his voice, feeling exposed, and all she could think about was what had happened to Amelia. Her whole body ran cold then.

"Ya wanna say that_ again_?" Daryl shouted, his question angered.

"Calm down, Robin Hood, we ain't gonna touch yer honey," the man said, his voice voided of any honesty. "We folk are nothin' but gentlemen."

"Let us _through_."

The leader looked back toward Rick at his order and spread his arms apart in bewilderment. "We ain't keepin' you from anythin', are we?"

"Enough with the games, man!" T-Dog spoke up.

"Suit yerself." The man lowered his gun, as if deciding the aim on him by all three men weren't dangerous. "Give us yer food and supplies and we'll let ya be."

"I can't do that."

"This ain't no negotiation, cowboy. We'll spare y'all, even let you keep yer women. I think that's a fair trade."

Rick stared at him hard, inhaling sharply. He switched his gaze, moving his eyes, trying to think. There were ten men. Some of them armed with assault rifles, others with just handguns. Some of the men were aiming at them, but others had their arms crossed, looking amused. The leader of the group looked at ease, the expression on his face looking as if he had already won. He knew Lori, Carl and the others were still behind them, staying safely in the cars, hoping that they wouldn't get out for any reason, because if they did they were going to have a problem and the plan that was already starting to formulate in his brain wasn't going to work. Rick looked in the corner of his eye, both T-Dog and Daryl catching his gaze. Rick slowly moved his left hand, subtly behind him, jerked his fingers back, a small signal.

"So, what's it gonna be?" the leader asked, his tone growing impatient.

Rick looked back at him, slightly lowering his Python and looking away. The other men took that as a hint that he wasn't going to fight and lowered their weapons.

Then, Rick lifted his Python fast, pulling the trigger.

The gunshot echoed, making everyone, even the men jump. No one did anything at first, confusion and surprise seen on all their faces. Until the leader dropped to the floor, blood pouring from his head.

"He killed Jackson!"

"Kill 'em!"

"Get down!" Rick shouted toward everyone, to Daryl, T-Dog, Elena, Lori and Carl, hoping that Glenn and the others heard him scream.

Bullets started flying, ricocheting against the road. Daryl suddenly dived, tackling Elena down to the floor. Elena winced, her body hitting the floor beneath her hard, Daryl's weight on top of her. He then got on his knees, shoving her forward.

"Get back!" he was yelling.

Elena scrambled forward, trying to crawl behind the truck, hearing the bullets so dangerously close, trying to move as fast as she could. She looked back, Daryl already crouched down, aiming his crossbow before pulling the trigger, killing one of the men with a chest wound.

"Daryl!" she called out to him.

He turned to her. "Go!"

Elena pulled out the pistol from the back of her pants, and threw it to him. Daryl caught it in that instant, yelling at her to keep going, then turning back, using the pistol, providing cover fire for Rick. Elena felt T-Dog pull her further behind the Chevy Suburban, his back against the truck. He pointed behind him, yelling at her to get back to safety. She moved, fear the only thing wanting to pull her back. Daryl was there in the line of fire, so was Rick and she couldn't just leave them. But she was a burden if she went to try to help. Her aiming had improved, but not to the extent that she could shoot people that were alive, people that moved fast, people that could shoot back. Elena could hear Carl crying in the truck through the gunshots, Lori holding him down away from the windows. Elena's heart was pumping so fast she felt like it was beating without pause. Her ears were ringing, the gunfire deafening. And it was familiar, reminding her how her whole group before went down. That day she stayed hidden, too afraid to jump out and do anything. But she couldn't do that now, not this time, she couldn't lose this group, her new family.

Elena ran, ducking her head behind the cars, running and reaching her hand toward the handle of the backseat of the Dodge Ram. She went in, looking desperately for the assault rifle and shotgun that had been Toni's. She knew they were still loaded fully and had not been used since she and Toni had been attacked and he had hit his head. She then found them lying aligned on the floor of the backseat and she grabbed them quickly. She pulled them out, looking back toward the Hyundai. Glenn was staring at her through the windshield looking both frightened and concerned. She could see his lips moving and she read them as "What do we do?". Elena lifted her hand, palm in front, her hand shaking, hoping he'd take that as a signal to stay, and shook her head at him. He nodded in hesitation. Elena quickly looked back toward the others, the gunshots becoming less, some men probably being hit. She hoped to God that it wasn't Daryl or Rick. She spotted T-Dog still taking cover behind the Chevy Suburban. She shoved her fingers past her lips and whistled as loud as she could over the gunfire. T-Dog turned his head toward her and Elena threw the guns to him. He caught them, loading them up. Elena fell to her knees then, taking cover behind the Dodge Ram and covered her ears, closing shut her eyes.

She was praying then, rocking herself. Elena hadn't been overly religious but since the apocalypse started she had done nothing more than turn to God in the most dire situations because at this moment she didn't know who else she could turn to.

Elena didn't know how long it was but after a moment of complete silence she pulled her hands away from her ears and opened her eyes. She grabbed at the truck behind her, pulling herself up, the blood rushing back to her legs. Her heart was still beating fast, the silence now making her anxious. But she looked for T-Dog who had been behind cover and he was still there, holding the assault rifle, Daryl safely beside him still holding her pistol with one hand, the shotgun in the other. They too also stood, looking over their cover.

Rick was breathing heavily, the cylinder of his Python empty of bullets. He lowered his gun after a bit of reluctance, finally pulling himself away from behind the back of the Chevy Suburban. He looked to his right and to his left, panting and his ears still ringing. Each of the men was shot dead. His eyes were wide, his movements almost automatic as he walked forward. He looked inside the Chevy suburban, sweat trickling down his forehead. He saw his wife, holding their son tightly in her arms laying flat in the backseat. Rick wiped the sweat off his forehead in relief, staggering a step forward, looking across the hood toward Daryl and T-Dog.

"Everyone alright?"

They didn't answer him, both panting, their weapons lowered also. T-Dog was holding his side, some blood on his hand.

They heard crying then, hysterical and the woman that had deceived them earlier, looking for her daughter came out of cover. She ran in the middle of the road, collapsing behind the body of the man that had once been the leader. She was holding onto him, shaking and screaming.

Elena took a step forward, staring toward Daryl who finally turned, meeting her eyes, sweat down his face. T-Dog was moving in her direction almost in a jog, pushing her back, telling her to get back in the truck. Elena refused for a second before seeing Daryl turn away, running back to his motorcycle, and Rick moving back into the Chevy. Elena ran around to the driver's seat of the Dodge Ram, turning up the engine just as Daryl went forward, Rick close behind, moving around the woman who was still screaming in the middle of the road, and leaving her.

* * *

Elena looked over at T-Dog who suddenly winced in the silence of the cab as they drove. She looked toward him, then down to his side which he held, blood on his fingers.

"You were hit," Elena exclaimed, trying to focus back on the road but concern distracting her.

"It's nothin', bullet skimmed me," T-Dog managed to say.

"Shit," Elena said, biting at her lip. Her eyes started to water as she gripped the steering wheel tightly, fear still shaking her body, but this fear wasn't because of the danger they had been in, this fear was from how close they had been to a more worse outcome than what they left with. Her hands were shaking and she sniffed back her tears, trying to calm herself as she took even breaths. "_God_."

T-Dog looked toward her, inhaling carefully as to not put strain on his wound. It still hurt though. "This is what happened, right? To your group?"

Elena was only able to nod. She took one hand from the steering wheel, her hand trembling as she pulled her hair behind her ear.

T-Dog sighed. "Could've gone so much worse."

Elena's eyes stung, thinking of what she saw that day, about her friends, all of them shot dead, massacred, then Amelia being pulled away by the hair, Toni screaming after her, men pulling him away also. She placed a hand over her mouth, trying to hold herself together, thanking God that they didn't have the same fate, because she didn't know who else she could thank.

She then felt a hand on her arm and she shot her eyes to T-Dog.

"Hey, don't worry about it. I'm okay. Daryl and Rick are okay."

Elena sniffled, a sad smile on her lips, wanting to laugh that he was the one having to reassure her even though he had been the one shot.

It was a while before Rick finally signalled for the group to stop, trying to find a safe distance far from what had been a battlefield. The herd that they had encountered would have heard it and make their way over, and Rick wasn't going to take any chances. He made sure they were far enough, two hours or so off, finding what looked to be a small convenience store beside a small gas station. Everyone pulled in, seeing that the front looked empty and safe enough, and got out of their cars.

"The hell was that?" Glenn exclaimed, frantic as he walked toward Rick.

Rick didn't reply. "Elena," he called out to her.

She knew what for and reached inside the truck, throwing him her crowbar. He went toward the doors of the convenience store, trying to jerk the door open when the lock finally gave in. He waved everyone in quickly, shutting the door behind him. Daryl and Rick both began pushing an empty shelf in front of the door for security reasons as Glenn and Maggie went ahead, searching the small store.

"It's clear," they informed coming back after a few minutes.

"Hershel, T-Dog was hit," Elena told him when T-Dog took a seat on the floor, still holding his wound. Hershel nodded to her, reaching for her bag that held the medical supplies that they still had spared. Elena helped him, lifting T-Dog's shirt to expose the wound.

"We still got thread for stitches left?" T-Dog wondered.

Elena reached in the bag, pulling out something and when T-Dog saw it he gave her a strange look. "Dental floss," she started to explain, "works just as well. Survival 101, thanks to Toni."

T-Dog nodded his head and everyone grew silent as Hershel took his time cleaning the wound and stitching him. Daryl and Rick peered out the windows, searching around, cautious.

"Think there's was more of 'em?" Daryl whispered.

Rick looked out the window, his mind still foggy. "If there were we wouldn't have gotten out of there alive." Rick looked back toward his group, each and everyone looking frightened and exerted from the sudden situation they had been in. He then looked toward Elena who was looking down, rubbing her hands over her face and looking even worse than the others. He remembered then about her group before, the people she lost to men like the ones they had met. He stepped toward her.

"Elena, those weren't the men that—"

She understood his question before he even finished. "No."

Rick sighed.

"Were those guys in a gang? They all had the same logos on their jackets," Glenn inquired.

"Using a woman to have people let their guard down?" Carol wondered aloud. "Who would do something like that?"

"Men who let this world take them down to hell with it," T-Dog whispered, wincing when Hershel punctured his skin again.

"We lost a significant amount of ammo durin' that fight," Rick remarked, leaning his arm against the front counter.

"Herd of walkers would have heard those gunshots from miles away," Maggie said.

The store grew silent again.

Rick leaned away from the counter, running his hand through his hair, looking back out the windows. "We'll stay here for the night. We'll leave first thing in the mornin'."

No one argued with him.

Elena stood up after a moment, moving away from the group to the back of the store, looking for the pharmacy isle. Her head was pounding and she couldn't ignore it anymore. She didn't know if was a headache from the gunshots earlier, or the whole situation just making her feel rattled. She looked through the shelves in the little light that poured from the windows across the store, trying to find a familiar brand. She pulled out a bottle of pills. When a hand touched her shoulder she almost jumped out of her skin, immediately dropping the pills to the floor and turned. Daryl was standing in front of her, his brows furrowed and she relaxed then. Daryl bent down, picking up the bottle she had dropped, he looked it over then back at her.

"Ya alright?" he asked her, handing her the bottle.

Elena took it from him, shoving it in her pocket. "Yeah," she answered more quickly than she meant to.

Daryl tilted his head at her, looking toward her arm. He grabbed it, lifting it up. It was only then did Elena notice that her long sleeved shirt had been ripped at the elbow, her skin exposed and scrapped with blood but not too much that would have caused concern. With the adrenaline that had been pumping through her veins, she hadn't noticed it.

"Must have happened when you tackled me to the floor," Elena whispered.

"Sorry." Daryl's voice was soft, his brows furrowed as he stared at the wound, his hand still holding her arm.

Elena bit her lip, grabbing him, suddenly wrapping her arms around his neck tightly, embracing him. Daryl's body went stiff but Elena didn't bother to take notice. She didn't care, all she could cared about was that Daryl came out of that gunfight unscathed.

When she heard footsteps approach them she pulled away reluctantly, keeping her eyes on Daryl's when Rick entered the isle. At the sight of him, Daryl took a safe step away from her.

Rick looked more exhausted than Elena remembered, knowing that it wasn't just the long watches at night that was driving him down, the role of leader was begin to wear him out too. Elena expected him to be there for Daryl but when Rick looked at her, she thought otherwise.

"Elena, I need to know about those men...," Rick spoke slowly, choosing his words carefully. "The men that had killed your group. Do you know who they were?"

She sighed, looking toward Daryl for a second who's gaze on her was curious. "No. Unlike the men that we saw earlier, the ones that killed my group looked like all ordinary guys. Y'know, average people. That's why we went to them. I think in my mind, that's what made them worse..."

"How many?"

Elena tried to think, trying to remember and she could feel her headache getting worse. "Four that we could see at first. The men that were hiding made it fifteen, I think. I'm not a hundred percent sure."

Rick was nodding his head slowly, thoughtful. He then looked toward her ripped sleeve. "Have Hershel take a look at that."

"It's crazy, isn't it?" Elena whispered, causing Daryl and Rick to stare at her. "That it's not the dead we really have to worry about. It's the living." She looked up at Rick who's eyes narrowed at hers and she could see a deeper understanding in them, so much so that Elena felt for Rick even more than she had done before.

* * *

Elena hadn't gone to Hershel as Rick told her to. Daryl had pulled her toward the staff washroom in the back, checking if the water still worked. It didn't. So, they made do with the leftover warm bottles of water they had found in the broken down refrigerators. Daryl had told her to roll up her sleeve, as he began wiping at the blood and dirt that had gotten into the creases of the scratches on her skin. His rough hands were gentle on her, careful and all Elena could do was watch him.

He had become a lot more overprotective since she had been trapped by the herd with Beth, almost by her side constantly but every time anyone else was near, whether it be Glenn or Lori, he always took a step back. She'd be lying if she said it didn't bother her. She had tried to be patient, forcing her to be but sometimes it was hard when you wanted that person you cared about to just show you something—_anything_, that they cared about you as much as you did them. And these were one of those moments where Daryl showed he did somewhat and they were always able to help Elena to want to keep going the way she was with him.

Elena winced, reflex making her twitch her arm away from Daryl when he touched a tender part of her skin on her arm. But his hold on her arm was firm. He looked up at her briefly, before going back to wiping the wound clean.

Elena pried her eyes away from him, inhaling and looking toward his attire. She saw something then, her brows furrowing as she reached her hand to the ripped fabric at the collar of his shirt.

"A bullet almost hit you," she said, her voice breathless.

"It's nothin'," Daryl replied, brushing off her concern.

"It's not nothing." Elena stared at him hard. He looked at her then, letting out an exasperated breath, pulling away from her. "Please, _please_ don't do that."

"Do what?" His voice was rough, irritated.

"Pull away from me." She frowned at him. "You do it every time I show any concern."

"I'm _fine_."

"Well, I'm not."

Daryl looked toward her in confusion. She leaned her forehead against her hand, closing her eyes. "You don't understand... This was deja vu for me, okay? Could have lost everyone. Could have lost you..." Elena bowed her head, so tired of it all.

"Hey." Daryl had his arms on her shoulders then, his face leaning toward her. "We're fine, alright? Stop worryin'."

Elena looked up at him, the frown still on her lips, but his eyes held her gaze like steel. Elena grabbed his face then just as he leaned closer, meeting her lips against his. Her lips were desperate, vulnerable, reaching for a part of Daryl that she hadn't touched before, wanting to get closer to him. Daryl matched her movements, his a lot more erratic and hungry. Daryl had her against the sink, it digging against the mid of her back but she didn't care as she grabbed at Daryl impatiently.

His hands moved to her waist, pressing his hips hard against hers and he felt this sudden spark surge through his body. Daryl moved against her, his tongue already past her lips, fighting against hers for dominance, feeding off of her. It reminded him of the time she was drunk and they had done this for the first time, only exception was Elena was completely sober and clenching onto him so tightly he thought he'd break her. But she was urging him forward, moving her hips against him, and Daryl growled deep within his throat, wanting her more than he ever had before.

That was until a knock came at the door.

Daryl pulled away from her, licking at his lips that felt numb. "_What_?" His tone was unfriendly and beyond irritated.

Elena was looking at him, catching her breath, her face flushed and her lips puffy.

When they didn't hear an answer from beyond the door, Daryl let out a frustrated breath, pulling back from Elena and went toward it, opening it none too gently, glaring at who was on the other side.

Elena wasn't able to see beyond Daryl's shoulder as she leaned against the sink, running her hand through her hair.

"Rick wants you and I to take first watch outside." Elena recognized it as Glenn's voice.

"Fine," Daryl replied, brushing past him, out of the washroom.

Glenn followed his eyes after him, his eyebrows raised and looked back at Elena, his eyes questionable. She was still trying to catch her breath, shrugging at the question in his gaze. When Glenn walked away Elena took a seat on the closed toilet and leaned her head against her hands. Her head was in a rush, from what happened earlier and with what happened not even seconds ago. Elena couldn't even take it all in because that sudden act of intensity between her in Daryl was more of a desperate urge to be closer to him with what little time they even had with their lives.

* * *

Rick was pacing, gazing out the window, his body on edge. It still wasn't getting easier, even though they weren't the first men he killed, Rick still had this heaviness over him. He remembered Elena's words, saying that the living was what they all had to worry about now. And she was right. The walkers were predictable, through thought and movement, the only thing driving them forward was the need to feed. But the living... You just never knew who was friend or foe. He had felt the same before when he had taken both Elena and Toni in. Elena gave him doubts that they may have been bad people, but with Toni's frantic behaviour Rick wasn't completely sure. He had thoughts, wondered if Elena was deceiving them, but they were tiny doubts and something he had only worried about momentarily.

Now you just never knew. He had trusted Shane, who had been his best friend and the man betrayed him. Tried to kill him. Tried to steal his wife and son away from him. A man that he had known for years, trusted with his life. It was true, the end of the world did bring people to hell.

Rick rubbed at his eyes. He was exhausted, from the travels, from the constant planning. But he knew the chance for a break was never going to happen because he chose this. He chose to be leader and it was his responsibility to do what needed to be done.

When he heard footsteps at his side, Rick turned his head seeing that it was his wife and Rick wanted to tell her to leave him be, but he couldn't.

Lori was watching, her stare calculating, something she had been doing to him for a while now and it pissed him off to no end. After all, it was her that told him Shane was dangerous, it was her who put the knife in his hand. It was her that made him kill Shane. And she had pulled away from him, so distant, when he did. Rick didn't understand it and Lori never gave reason.

"What are we doing?" she asked him.

Rick stared at her, his eyes narrowed to her question. "We're stayin' here for cover."

"Rick, everyone is terrified. We were just gunned down by a bunch of men. _Your_ son was in the line of fire." Although Lori didn't shout, her voice was tense and strong.

"You had cover."

"Ducking in a car is not cover—"

He stepped toward her, glaring. "What did you expect me to do, huh? To let those men take _our_ cars, _our _supplies? Things we _fought_ for? You know what they would have done after I lent all that to them? They would have killed me. Killed Carl. Killed Daryl, T-Dog, Glenn, Hershel. And then they would have taken you, Elena, Carol, Beth, Maggie...done things to you that you couldn't even _imagine_. You think I made the wrong call? Then you have no idea what world you live in _now_."

Lori stared at him with wide eyes, the tone of his voice making her falter. She parted her lips to say something but turned away, deciding against it before giving him one final speculative look and leaving him. Rick didn't have remorse, he couldn't care if he wanted to because what he had done had saved the entire group.

* * *

When Lori sat down beside her, Elena saw her eyes glazed over, her nose red. Elena watched her for a moment, her brows furrowed before she broke a piece of the dried meat she had been eating, handing it toward Lori.

She stared at it for only a second before shaking her head. "I'm okay."

Elena sighed, lowering her hand. "How you feeling?" When Lori didn't answer right away she continued. "With the pregnancy I mean."

Lori smiled but it was weak. "I can handle the smell of meat now. Still can't eat it."

Elena looked down toward the meat she had offered her, feeling foolish. "Did you want something else then? I think we still have—"

"I'm fine, Elena. Don't worry about me."

She frowned, looking back at Lori. "Look, I don't mean to be forward about this but you don't eat as much as you should."

"You a doctor now?" Lori's voice was a little defensive.

"No." Elena tried to smile, trying to show that she was only worried. "But I had a cousin who was pregnant. With twins, actually. She use to tell me all this information, how you are suppose to eat so many calories for the baby, and how many pounds you were suppose to gain. She was kinda obsessed with the whole food thing."

Lori laughed slightly. "Well, not like I have that luxury anymore."

"I'd be willing to give you some of my share," Elena told her honestly. "I'm sure it's hard on you, having this baby."

She could see Lori bite at her lip and she rubbed at her eyes, inhaling deeply. She didn't answer her but from the look on her face Elena could see it.

_If_ _you only knew_.

Elena tried to sleep that night, laying on the floor between Beth and Carl, shutting her eyes but sleep didn't take her and she was exhausted. She still had the nightmares, less so now than before, which she suppose was a good enough improvement that she could accept. Some nights she dreamt about Toni, other nights it was Amelia. Sometimes it was that middle school, and sometimes it was the group. Her dreams hadn't been kind to her, not for a long time and she wanted to beg, just for one night to fall asleep within a few minutes of closing her eyes. But it never happened. It always left her frustrated and defeated, losing control of her body which was something that you should have control over.

Finally sitting up, Elena tried to rub away the soreness around her eyelids and she looked around at the group. Everyone was asleep, with an exception to T-Dog and Rick who were outside keeping watch. Her eyes drifted to Daryl away from her, his arms folded behind his head, laying against his bag, the poncho she had given him draped carelessly over his body. His leg was bent, lightly tapping at the floor, the other laid straight in front of him. He tilted his head then, his eyes meeting hers. He narrowed them, a silent question.

Elena only shook her head, guessing that he was wondering why she was awake. She stood up silently, moving along past him.

"Psst," Daryl made the sound, trying to grab her attention. He was looking up at her.

"I'm fine," she mouthed, giving him a reassuring smile before she went toward the entrance doors.

Stepping out of the cold air, Elena found both T-Dog and Rick on either side of their parked cars, both arm with heavier weaponry than usually. Elena moved, reaching toward Rick who was staring out toward the road, looking like he was waiting for something. When she reached his side, Rick turned his head to her, letting out a light sigh.

"Still can't sleep, huh?"

"It's getting better," she whispered. "I think."

"And yet you're here while you should be in there restin'."

"I can toss and turn all I want, it won't change anything."

Rick nodded, understanding her words. "Hard to sleep the nights without keepin' an eye open all the time."

"Do you even sleep at all?" Elena looked toward him as she asked the question. "You push yourself, Rick, sometimes I think too much."

Rick was silent for a moment, not looking at her. "What makes you say that?"

"Because Toni did the same thing." Rick looked at her then. "He wasn't the leader of our group, we didn't really have a leader. My group wasn't as organized as you guys are to tell you the truth. It was the seven of us, three men, four women including me and my sister. The guys usually were fighting over what our next move was."

"Toni was part of that then?" Rick inquired.

"No," she answered. "Toni never fought with the guys, believe it or not. When Amelia was with him Toni was level headed, calm, always able to get the other guys to settle down, y'know? Kinda like you sometimes. Toni lost his temper a couple of times, but he had reason to. The other guys in my group were older men, thinking that age gave them authority or something. But Toni always knew better. Always tried to push the group in the right direction. I think he was the reason we survived as long as we did."

"What happened then? When your group was attacked?" Rick questioned her quietly.

"It wasn't Toni's call. The other guys, Danny and Joseph, were adamant about going to those hijackers for help, convinced that they would help us, because they were heavily armed and had so much supplies. Toni argued with them, saying that them being heavily armed was a red flag already. Everyone of the group disagreed with him. The others just wanted to believe that there was still hope for us, I think. Amelia had to talk to him, convince him that he didn't have to take the responsibilities in making the choices all the time, just for once he should step down, let the others make the call. So, he did. And look what happened." Elena lowered her eyes, her mind distant. She looked at Rick, her eyes sad but held faith. "You made a call today, took down those men, saved all of us. Rick, if you ever feel doubtful about your choices, don't, 'cause guaranteed you know what's better for us than we do."

Rick watched her for a long time before a small smile appeared on his lips. He placed a hand on her shoulder but didn't say anything.

Something in her words still gave Rick some faith, faith that he thought he had lost back at Hershel's farm, back where he was a different man, a man that wanted to see the good in people, the man who kept a veil over his eyes. Shane told him that he couldn't be the good guy anymore, not if he wanted to survive. Rick had lost the man that he was and maybe he had become cold, to his wife especially. But Carl, his son, still gave him some warmth knowing that he was the man that would have his son live on to grow up, even through this shit life. Rick needed to hear Elena's words, because it pushed him further knowing he was making a difference, knowing that at least one person saw the weight he was holding. And he took it in stride. At least he wasn't the only one seeing the world as it was now.


	13. Chapter 13

**This chapter was nothing more than a pain in the ass. I had it fully written and while reading it over at the last minute I decided to completely cut out the entire half of the chapter because it just didn't seem right. So filling in the gap was a little more difficult for me than usual. I decided then to use that opportunity to develop the characters more because it's fun to work with what everyone was thinking about in that moment. So, this chapter is really just down time. The next one I promise is going to be exciting, hells yeah. :) Like always thank you for the new followers and reviews.**

**I take no credit in characters besides Elena Lima and Toni Galvin.**

* * *

Elena's words were still embedded in Rick's mind the next morning, even after she had left him to keep watch. He stayed out there all night, too worried that they would encounter survivors again. It wasn't even the herd of walkers that may of heard the gunfight yesterday that he was worried about, now it was other people. Human beings were manipulative, sneaky, traitors, liars, and it was this life that made them this way. Rick couldn't trust anyone, he couldn't trust other people anymore.

Rick wasn't exactly sure if there were other men with the group that they had killed yesterday, he didn't think there were, but he didn't want to take any chances. He made the decision that the men of the group be more heavily armed than usual, them being the most experienced with the firearms. The odds of there being another encounter with hijackers on the road may be slim to none but with the group's lives on his shoulders, Rick thought it would be better to be more safe than sorry.

Although now the men were more heavily armed, ammunition had been scarce after the gunfight. They had some to spare in the moment but for future days they had nothing. Rick made the decision for the group to find a hunting or gun store, anywhere that would carry the supply they needed, because ammunition now was high priority. They took the opportunity to fill up on gas by the gas station that had been beside the convenience store they were staying last night before they headed back on the road.

Fortunately, they reached signs for a hunting store just a few miles away and Rick went toward that direction, seeing a little ounce of luck for them for once. The roads weren't completely empty that morning as they usually had been. Occasionally they'd pass by walkers stumbling around the road, perking up their attention at their vehicles. The group did nothing but avoid them, leaving the lone walkers in their rearview mirrors, too slow to follow.

When the group finally reached the hunting store, which looked to be an independent store almost in the outskirts of no where, Rick signalled for the group to stop, parking by the side of the road directly across from it.

Rick stepped out of the truck. Carl jumped out also, ignoring the calls from his mother, who after a bit gave up telling him to get back in the car. Carl stepped alongside his father, gun in hand. Rick looked around, nodding his head at him before looking at Daryl who was swinging his leg off his motorcycle. Rick looked toward T-Dog and Elena in the Dodge Ram and he waved at them toward him. They got out then, Maggie and Glenn following their lead as they stepped out onto the road. All of them were already armed, ready as they all gazed at the hunting store across the street. Rick had his hands on his hips, already thinking over what needed to be done.

"We need to go in and out. Take as much as we need," he informed. "What are we low on?" He looked toward T-Dog.

"Shotgun shells, assault rifle bullets, handgun bullets," T-Dog began listing them off. "Wouldn't hurt to get some rifle bullets too."

"Alright," Rick said, "Maggie, Glenn and T-Dog, I want you to stay by the cars, keep watch. The rest of us are gonna go in there quietly, handguns only if we need to."

"Okay," Glenn nodded his head at the order.

Rick looked toward Elena, who nodded her head also, her crowbar already in hand and he began walking across the road. Rick already had his knife held out as him and Daryl were at the front lines, Elena and Carl right behind them, approaching the store carefully.

Lori watched from the Chevy Suburban as her son went off with his father, Daryl and Elena. She hated it, she hated seeing Carl go off with them, setting himself up for danger. But Carl always pushed away from her, always fighting against her when she refused him to go. Rick never said a word. He wasn't there to back her up anymore, he wasn't there to agree with her that such things like this was too dangerous for Carl to join in. And it made Lori come out looking as the bad guy. All Lori wanted was Carl to be safe and he would be if he didn't go out carrying that Godforsaken gun.

Lori knew that her relationship with Rick was slowly coming apart. And she wanted to desperately pick up the pieces, put them back together but Rick had gone cold. With responsibility as leader, it left Rick little time for them to actually talk. Talk about what was going on between them, maybe even talk about the baby they were having. But Lori couldn't do it. She realized through these days she didn't know how to talk to her husband anymore. She didn't even know if the man she had married was still in him. He had changed so much since they reunited back at the quarry. It was a miracle to see him there in the flesh, alive that at first Lori thought she was dreaming. But it was real. Rick was alive. And thus brought weights of regret upon her. Shane had been the one to tell her her husband died. Hearing those words, Lori felt like a part of her died along with him. She couldn't feel anything after that, the only thing driving her forward was Carl, and Shane pushing her with him, protecting the two of them. Shane was there and Rick wasn't, and Lori desperately wanted to feel something again, anything. She wasn't proud of what she did with Shane but at that moment she didn't care. Her husband was dead, their lives were hanging by a thread and she didn't want to be alone. And Shane was there beside her.

She had made a lot of mistakes before, but this had been her worst. Seeing Rick come back to her and Carl, Lori had to live with that mistake, had to push Shane away because she couldn't stand to look at him knowing what they had done. She blamed him, blamed Shane that he was the one that told her her husband had died. But she knew the only real person that was at fault here was herself, for moving on from Rick so quickly just because she couldn't face living this life alone. But it was happening again, that feeling of being alone. Shane was beginning to scare her back at Hershel's farm, desperate with wanting to be with her again even though she had refused him countless times. Her husband was back and what she felt for Shane, whatever it had been, was gone. But he pushed and pushed and after Dale had spoken to her about the possibility that Shane may have sacrificed Otis just to save her son, the fear grew. Shane was dangerous and she could see he was slowly becoming unhinged. When he came back without Otis he hadn't been the same since. Shane was convinced the baby was his no matter how many times Lori told him that it was always going to be Rick's.

She was the instigator in all this, she knew, she was the one that told Rick to do what he could to protect what was his, to protect her, Carl and the baby. Although she didn't say it directly she was the one that told Rick to kill Shane. And he did because he loved her. But having heard it from him, Lori couldn't handle it, didn't know how. Her husband had killed his best friend and Lori pulled away. And even to this day she didn't know why. Maybe she really did love Shane. Maybe her telling Rick to kill him was her way of trying to bury her mistake. Whatever the case it had ruined everything. Their marriage was dying. They didn't know how to talk to each other anymore without there being conflict and to top it off she was starting to lose Carl too, the one person that was more precious to her than anything else. But Carl was becoming more like his father each passing day and Lori was afraid. Maybe she had caused the distance between her and Rick but she still had a chance with Carl, and she needed to believe that. She would do anything to keep him with her.

* * *

Trash was on the parking lot, only one car left there abandoned. Elena looked inside but it was empty, nothing in there of use to them. Elena continued on, placing a hand on Carl's back who walked alongside her, his gun held tightly in his hand and his face vacant. Daryl looked through the front entrance of the hunting store, the doors locked and barred, along with the windows. Daryl lifted the crossbow in his hand, checking around back. The side door was also locked and completely held shut. Elena handed Rick her crowbar, the man a lot more stronger than her, to open the door. Rick jammed it in the door frame and pulled at the bar as hard as he could. The lock did not break, nor did the door. Rick pulled back, looking it over.

Elena was already analyzing the barred windows, contemplating. She tried to look inside. The store was dark and she couldn't see movement inside but she saw rows of fishing gear and walls stacked with a couple of weapons, some slots appearing to be empty. She looked back at the caged bars. If they were able to at least yank one off or bend them far enough she could squeeze through and unlock the door for Rick and Daryl. Only problem was they'd have to break the window, which would cause more noise than they needed.

"Rick, the windows." Elena pointing at them. "I could squeeze through if we can bend the bars."

Rick nodded his head, understanding.

"Dad, I can squeeze through too," Carl said. "Give Elena back up."

Rick was hesitate for a second before nodding his head again, looking around him. He smashed the window then, the glass shattering. The four of them stood still, waiting. But they didn't hear any movement. So, they continued. Rick nodded his head at Daryl as they both took either side, Rick using Elena's crowbar as leverage to bend back the bars, Daryl using his hands. They used as much force as they were able, bending the bars as far as they could go. Rick kicked at the broken glass, clearing the way for the both of them. He then handed Elena back her crowbar, waving for the two of them to enter. Elena made a move to enter in first when Daryl grabbed her arm, his eyes hard on hers.

"Be careful," he said to her under his breath.

Elena didn't say anything and turned on her side, trying to squeeze through the bars, the little room tight. Had she been eating as she normally had before, she might not have been able to get through past her hips, but luckily that wasn't a problem anymore. Elena pushed her body through, pushing at the bent bars when she felt her body finally slipped into the store. She then heard a rip, looking down, the fabric on her pants ripped across the thigh.

"Shit," she sighed, pulling at the ripped fabric that had gotten caught from the edge of the bars. She landed on her feet in the store, quickly looking around before she bent, helping Carl in with her. He fixed the hat on his head, standing beside her. Looking back at Rick, he signalled with his hand toward the side entrance and she nodded her head before slowly making her way into the store.

"Stay close to me, Carl," she told the boy, her crowbar tight in her hand.

Elena had sneaked in stores before, ones that were usually locked considering those that weren't were usually a haven for walkers that had broke through. Normally she was alone, only having her back to watch over, but she was nervous now, with Carl, nervous that she had the responsibility of watching over him too. Lately Rick had allowed him to be involved in such occasions, as long as someone capable was with him. Elena really couldn't tell if having Carl be exposed to the walkers was a good thing. However, as she thought it through, if Carl watched and learned, he could eventually become independent without someone having to watch over him. And maybe that's what Rick wanted for him. Carl didn't want to be a burden as much as his father didn't.

So, she tried not to let it bother her as she listened for any movement, hers and Carl's footstep the only thing heard in the empty store. She moved through an isle, staying hidden against a row of fishing rods and looked over around the corner. Nothing. She moved again, always making sure Carl was beside her, her steps as quiet as they could be. She found the doorway that led to the back and she made her way over, cautious. But she saw nothing, heard nothing. When she saw the side door she jogged toward it.

Locks were all aligned at the side and she began switching them all unlocked, one after the other until she got to the last one, which looked to have been recently molded into the wall and door. There was no knob or switch to unlock that one. Elena lifted her crowbar, wedging it in as much as she could against the metal plate that held the door to the door frame and pushed her entire weight down on it. She could hear the metal creaking under the pressure. She jabbed at it a couple of times, hearing metal scrape against metal, trying to weaken it and push down on it again.

Then, she heard a hiss.

Elena looked back in time to she a walker turn the corner, so close behind them. His frame was thin, his body nothing but skin and bone. But it barred it's teeth, stumbling toward them. Elena quickly pulled at the crowbar but it was stuck in between the metal and door.

"_Shit_."

_Bang_.

Elena turned her head at the gunshot, Carl holding his gun high in front of him, his aim steady, and the walker at their feet, blood pouring from his head. Elena couldn't pry her wide eyes away, looking at the boy until he turned, looking back at her.

She let out a breath of relief. "Carl, _Jesus_, you're a better shot than I am."

"Do you need help?" he asked her, coming at her side.

She nodded to him and they both applied pressure against the crowbar, when the metal plate finally gave out and broke off. She opened the door in that instant, Rick and Daryl practically flying in.

"Everyone okay?" Rick asked.

Daryl aimed in, then looked toward Elena, grabbing her and looking her over.

She placed a hand on his gently. "We're fine. Carl took care of it."

Rick looked down toward the dead walker on the floor. "Anymore?"

"Not that we've seen."

Rick lowered the knife in his hand, and walked in further, turning to the front of the store. Elena, Carl and Daryl followed close behind. Rick looked around quickly, before lowering his guard, resting the knife down on the glass counters and made his way around. He pulled out his Python, slamming the butt against the glass, shattering it. He then began pulling out the boxes of ammunition that were on display. Daryl rested his crossbow over his shoulder, going through the ammunition and separating them from the ones they needed and the ones they didn't.

Elena turned away, her knowledge of firearms and ammunition useless at the moment. She still held the crowbar in her hands, still looking around, still alert. Until she felt a hand slide down her back, making her jump at that instant and turn her head. Daryl grabbed at the pistol from behind the waistband of her pants, looking at her quickly before sliding the clip out of it. She watched him as he opened a box of ammo, quick as he pushed each bullet in, filling it with the eight rounds it could take. He stepped toward her, so close she could feel the heat from him. Daryl stared at her, reaching around her, lifting her shirt from behind, his fingertips barely touching at her skin before he shoved the Glock 17 back into her waistband. He turned away from her after, back to helping Rick organize the ammunition.

Elena had to steady herself, the look in his eyes were intense and it had made her whole body freeze, her thoughts going back to their time together in the washroom yesterday. Daryl must have been still roused up by that because his gaze matched the same intensity he had before.

"Elena."

She shook her head, ridding at the thoughts, bringing her attention to Rick, who tossed her the boxes he had set aside.

"Take these back to the cars. Bring a bag back."

She nodded toward him, handing some of the boxes to Carl and went back out. She called out to T-Dog for Toni's duffel bag she still had that was emptied out, shoving the boxes inside. Glenn and Maggie were walking around, making sure the road was secure. Elena pulled Carl with her, the bag over her shoulder, running back to take as much as they could carry.

* * *

As Daryl helped Rick finalize the last of the ammo they needed, he decided to check the area as the others took in the supply back to the cars. It had been a while since he had time to himself, minus his shifts during watch at night. But even then sometimes he wasn't alone. Elena usually would wake up and would come and help him watch. Daryl didn't mind it, it made time go by faster.

He watched Elena then as he walked alongside the hunting store as she helped T-Dog and Glenn put their new acquired ammo away. But Daryl realized now it was hard for him to look at her sometimes without wanting to grab her, pull her away from the others, try to find some privacy that he knew they didn't have. There was a tension between him and Elena, a tension they had since yesterday. His mind kept reminding him what it was like with her against him, the way she kissed him yesterday in that washroom. There was a deeper meaning, one that he didn't notice in the moment. She was vulnerable, scared and Daryl had fed off her without so much of a second thought. Was he taking advantage of her then? He thought he did for a second, worried that he had screwed up, made a bad decision. She needed him yesterday and it took him longer than he would admit to have realized that.

Elena knew he couldn't show the way he felt about her, not affectionately because Daryl wasn't exactly sure as to how. This was all still new to him. Instead, he tried to show her physically, because that was the only way he knew how. He was too much of a pussy to say it to her, to say how he felt. Daryl wanted her, so much so that it was starting to drive him crazy, and the thought of losing her—especially during that stand off with those pricks yesterday—almost freaked him out. He was scared. For once Daryl felt fear, fear that one day something might happen and she wouldn't be there anymore. He had felt the same way when the herd trapped her in the truck, but the feeling was more evident now.

It was getting more close to her that was becoming a problem. Yesterday she had shown concern for his safety and he brushed her off and it had upset her. Had it been anybody else he wouldn't have cared, but that time he did. It was hard for him, he had gone through life, grown up with no one who even thought twice about him, and now he had this woman who was trying so damn hard to get him to open up. But it was the past that Daryl grew up with that was pulling him back. It was the past telling him that he didn't really deserve her. Daryl was damaged, his father made sure of that, so how much patience did Elena have until she would just give up? Daryl tried not to think about it, but it was always in the back of his mind.

* * *

Rick decided it was best for the group to have some down time off the road for a short while, this time, parking off into a hidden clearing away from the road, just in case. He had T-Dog, scout the perimeter atop the back of the Dodge Ram, a sniper rifle in his hands. Rick watched along the ground level, Carl with him, while the others ate the little meal they could have.

Rick stared down the road, inhaling the fresh air, already smelling the scent of the rain to come. He looked up, gazing at the sky. Grey clouds were rolling in again. Carl was beside him. He was always at his side now, his expression always calm. Rick placed a hand on his shoulder, thankful that he at least had support from his son. He had seen the looks he got from Lori and pretended he didn't see them. It was like she was concerned their son was spending more time with him than her. Lori wanted to hold Carl back, wanted to keep that precious child mentality she thought he still had. But Rick knew Carl had lost that a long time ago. His son wasn't a child anymore, he was growing up, thank God. He saw a maturity in him now, this world beginning to harden him. And maybe as a father he should be concerned but Rick was tired. He was tired of having to worry about him anymore. He loved his son, but he also wanted to be able to trust that he could handle himself because one day Rick might not be there for him, nor Lori or anyone else. He wanted Carl ready for that, so he was teaching him as much as he could, trying to show him that he shouldn't let fear stop him. And it hadn't, not for a long time now.

"Clouds are comin' in again."

Rick turned his head, Hershel taking his leisure toward him. Rick sighed, nudging his son forward. "Carl, go find your mother."

Carl looked hesitant for a moment, but at the sight of Hershel approaching he nodded his head and ran off. Rick rested his hands on his hips, looking off in the distance again, Hershel coming up to his side.

"We have to be cautious now about others. Other survivors," Hershel added. "We got lucky comin' across Elena and her brother-in-law. They were desperate people."

"But you never know now," Rick whispered. "We're a close group, can't be goin' on takin' more people in anymore."

"I can agree with you on that."

Hesitant for a moment, Rick thought about the woman they had left on the road. He tried not to, he didn't want that worry to weigh his mind, it was the last thing he needed to think about now. But to leave that woman off on her own... Could they have done something differently?

"You are thinkin' about the woman." Hershel's voice was soft, wise.

Rick nodded his head, not looking at him.

"We couldn't do anythin' for her, Rick, you know that."

"So many things I have done, things that I may not have before. Sometimes I wonder if Shane was right."

"Shane didn't have a head on his shoulders. You do, Rick. You're a better man than he was, a better leader."

Rick gazed at him, thoughtfully.

"Don't let this world change you completely. I can see it has hardened you, I see a different man in you, Rick. However, I believe you still have the same faith you had before. The faith that's still pushin' you forward."

"I don't know how far I can take us," Rick replied honestly.

"You have taken us far enough already, don't let the days discourage you."

Rick nodded at his words, looking toward the man that had put his life and his daughters' lives in his hands without hesitation. Following his lead, his orders without question. And he knew the dangers that Rick faced as leader, he knew that Rick had a major responsibility. And he also knew that Rick was the only that had courage enough to take it.

* * *

Carol began organizing the supplies in the back of the Hyundai, putting the food that would expire first in the front. It was a little unnecessary but it gave her something to do in the time being before Rick pushed the group to head back on the road.

It had been hard on her, going through the days, wondering if Rick was even able to lead them. She had her doubts. Rick contradicted himself at times, back in Hershel's farm and it caused concern. She thought maybe she was better off not going with him, thought that maybe her and Daryl could get through this on their own. She had pushed Daryl, knowing well that he could be leader if he set his mind to it but Daryl always took a step back, never for once fighting against Rick's orders. Carol had called Daryl his henchman, but she could see it wasn't true now. Rick looked to him sometimes for input on their next move and she often watched as they planned ahead. She knew then Daryl wasn't going to leave, not now anyway. And when she noticed Elena walking toward her, she knew one more reason why Daryl wanted to stay.

"Everything alright?" Carol asked her when she noticed she was deep in thought.

Elena met her eyes and quickly smiled and nodded her head. "Yeah, I'm good. Do you need help?"

Carol shrugged. "Just organizing the food."

Elena nodded her head again, looking thoughtful and leaned back against the Hyundai. Carol watched her from the corner of her eye, looking over her profile. Elena was a pretty girl. She had a young face, a small frame, long dark hair, olive skin. Had the world now not tainted her appearance so much, she might have been beautiful. She was a kind woman, working hard to make herself useful for the group, protecting them and doing whatever else she could do. And Carol could see it, she could see what Daryl saw in her.

Carol wasn't sure at first, whether anything was going on between them. Granted, she had seen them on occasion conversing. Daryl probably talked to her more than anyone else in the group, with an exception to Rick. They had become friends, but Carol knew there had to be something more. Sometimes the way they looked at each other, it was different. There was something there, and she knew then for sure.

Elena's eyes were somewhere else and Carol followed her gaze and smiled afterwards. She stepped beside her. "You care about him, don't you?"

Elena shot her eyes toward her, taking her sight away from Daryl who was far off in the distance and looking over his motorcycle. Carol looked at her, the smile still on her lips.

"He's a good man. Hard to find men like him anymore," she added, looking back at Daryl as she crossed her arms.

Elena had always been curious about Carol's and Daryl's relationship. She had been concerned at first, wondering if there was something between them, wondering if there was that she should back off right away. But she saw that their relationship wasn't a romantic partnership, it was protective, almost special. She admired that about them, and it was a sweet thing to see.

"When I lost my daughter, Sophia—she had been chased away by walkers, had gotten lost in the forest—Daryl was out there every single day looking for her, even got hurt doing so." Carol's voice was soft and Elena could hear the pent up emotion in her words so she stayed silent, letting her talk. "It had been days and I was starting to lose hope but he still wanted to look for her, pushing himself and I never understood why." Carol brought a hand to her lips in thought. "He gave me a flower then. A Cherokee rose, he said it was. He told me that he believed they were blooming for my little girl, believed that it was a sign we would find her. But when we found her..." Carol had to stop, her eyes starting to glaze over.

"It's okay. I know what happened, you don't have to say it."

Carol smiled again, the smile sad. "I think it hurt him, as much as it did me. I lost my little girl and he had tried so hard to look for her." She wiped at her eyes. "Daryl had always been distant, thinking that his opinions didn't matter, but they do." Carol looked at her then, and Elena could see it, the protectiveness in her eyes. "Daryl deserves better than he thinks. Please, whatever you do, don't hurt him."

Elena understood full well what Carol was asking her, and there was no way she could be angry with that because Daryl did deserve a lot, she was right about that. That's why she'd been patient, that's why she kept trying even when it felt like she wasn't making a difference with Daryl. But one day he would open up to her more and although she had to wait, Elena knew it would be worth it.

"I won't, Carol," she finally answered her, looking back at Daryl. "I don't think I could."

"Elena, can I talk to you for a minute?"

The two women turned at the sound of Lori's voice. Carol nodded to Elena for her to go ahead and Elena shoved her hand in her pockets, walking toward Lori. As she got closer to her she could see the worried look on her face. Lori took a few steps away, looking like she wanted privacy between them. She was looking off in the distance toward her son, her brows furrowed.

"What's up?" Elena asked her. "Is everything alright? It's not about the baby or—"

"No, no. That's fine, no concerns about that." She looked back at Elena and sighed, running a hand down her face before she gestured toward her. "I need to ask a favour from you."

Elena nodded slowly, staring at her in curiosity. "Sure, anything. What is it?"

Lori sighed again, taking a step toward her. "You often go with Rick and the others, scouting the area. I need you to keep an eye on Carl for me when he goes with you. Please."

Elena was thoughtful for a moment, the look Lori giving her serious. "I... Look I don't mean any offence by this and I completely understand where you're coming from but isn't this a conversation you should be having with your husband, not me?" She could see Lori's jaw tighten at her words and Elena felt like tracking back at what she said. Not that she thought she was wrong, but right now she didn't want any problems with Lori that was completely unnecessary. "Your worry makes perfect sense but I think Carl has a good head on his shoulders, probably saved my neck today too. He's a tough kid."

"He's still a _boy_."

Elena exhaled, running a hand through her hair, she didn't know what to say about that. Well, she did, but she thought against it, knowing full well that saying 'maybe you should let him grow up' wouldn't have followed up with a positive response from Lori. She was a worried mother, she saw that, but treating Carl as if he needed to be shielded away all the time wasn't doing him or Lori any favours either. Not now.

"Just please watch over him for me, okay?"

She couldn't refuse. As much as putting the responsibility of watching Carl on her wasn't fair, Elena felt it was were duty to agree, more for Carl than for his mother. She nodded her head to Lori, who squeezed her arm in appreciation before walking away.

* * *

Elena needed time away from everyone, time to think. With Lori and Carol talking to her she had too much on her mind already, trying to just sort everything out. She sat by herself against the tire of the Dodge Ram, keeping her hands busy as she slid the clip in and out of her Glock 17, seeing if she could do it faster, catching it each time.

Daryl had barely talked to her since they set themselves at the clearing. She had noticed something in his eye since the morning, an air between them but she wasn't exactly sure what but she knew why. She had gotten emotional in front of him yesterday, the whole stand off with the hijackers putting her on edge and she had shown so much vulnerability toward Daryl that she hadn't before. She was worried that it may have been too much for him and because of that reason he had stepped away, but seeing the intensity in his eyes she thought maybe that wasn't exactly true. They needed space from each other, to clear their heads. But her mind was so congested, thinking about him, thinking about what Carol said about not hurting him and thinking about Lori's request in watching her son, clearing her mind was nothing but a joke. Things had become complicated now and the only control she had now was sliding in and out the clip from her pistol, as ridiculous as that was.

"I can teach you how to shoot, if you want."

Elena looked up at the voice above her. Carl stood in front of her, hands in his pockets, a small smile on his face. She slid the clip back into her gun, resting it on her lap as she slightly laughed. "I bet you could." Elena flattened her legs in front of her, noticing Carl chewing his lip almost nervously. "What's up?"

"Can I ask you something?"

Elena shoved the gun back into her waistband, and patted the grass beside her. "Sit down, little man. Tell me what's on your mind."

Carl hesitated for a moment, looking behind him before he lowered himself, resting his small back against the tire beside her. Elena waited patiently for him to speak, watching him as he looked away from her, down to the grass. He ran his fingers through it for a moment.

"Remember when you told me that your parents fought, but it was because they loved each other?" he asked her quietly.

Elena sighed, already sure she knew where this was going. "I do."

"I don't think it's the same with my mom and dad."

"Why would you say that?"

He shook his head. "They're not like they use to be..."

"Hey," Elena nudged his shoulder, giving him a small smile, "don't worry, okay? I'm sure they still love each other. It's just the stress, y'know? I mean, your dad is working hard to keep us safe. I think your mom is just worried about him."

"They barely talk," Carl whispered, looking up at her. "And when they do they're fighting."

Elena prompted her legs up, resting her arms against her knees. "Okay, so tell me where you saw things change."

"When we left the farm." He began chewing on his lip again. "When Shane died."

Elena remembered then what Daryl had told her, about Shane, who had been Rick's best friend. She could tell that Shane had a huge role in the group before, but she wasn't sure how much. If Rick and him fought over for leadership, Shane maybe had more authority than the others.

"My dad killed him."

Elena froze at Carl's voice. The emotion was gone from it and at that moment she didn't see a little boy. Carl looked different, less of a child than she had seen in him before.

"Do you think maybe that's why?"

She had to take a moment to answer him, before she shrugged. "I'm sorry, Carl. I can't answer that, I didn't know Shane."

He looked away from her, playing with the grass again. "I want to help, y'know? Help protect the group. I want to do what you do. I want to help my dad take down walkers."

"Well," Elena began, "after today, I think you're headed in the right direction." He smiled up at her and Elena adjusted the hat on his head before shifting her eyes. She caught sight of Lori watching them, a light smile on her lips. Elena looked down at Carl again. "We'll work together, okay? You can teach me how to shoot even. I got your back on this, kiddo."

Carl's smile widened and she nudged him playfully. She really didn't mind it, watching over Carl. He may have been a child but he wasn't helpless and she could see it. She saw so much of Rick in him, so much of that fearlessness. Maybe Carl was braver than her, maybe braver than all of them. Elena hated to see that he couldn't really have much of a childhood, not with everything that was going on, but Carl didn't seem to care. He wanted to grow up, he wanted to be a man, he wanted a bigger role in the group. This world had changed him, and maybe that change wasn't entirely bad. The group needed fighters, not victims. If they wanted to survive, they all needed to fight together. Carl knew this, Elena could see it in his eyes. And now she did too.


	14. Chapter 14

**Okay, so I know last chapter wasn't very exciting and yes it was a filler but it was also a build up for this monstrosity known as Chapter 14. Conflicts arise and action, and Daryl/Elena because I know that's what you want to see. Also, I like to listen to music while I write and this story already has a set playlist. I'll add more eventually I'm sure but this is what I got so far for those that are interested:**

**Story Theme - _Breath of Life_ by Florence and the Machine**

**Elena's Theme - _Castle of Glass_ by Linkin Park**

**Daryl/Elena's Theme - _Blink_ by Revive**

**Thank you very much to the new followers and to those that are still following. Loving the reviews very much, and looking forward to more ;) Hope you enjoy this chapter.**

* * *

"Carl!"

Elena ran as fast as her feet could take her, following after a terrified father looking for his son. Rick rushed through the halls in desperation, adrenaline keeping him going as he screamed out his son's name. She was heavily breathing, trying to steady her pace after him, trying to remember everything she trained for when she use to do cross country, but she couldn't catch up behind a man that had lost his son.

Rick rounded a corner, and Elena skid on her heels, almost slipping and falling at the sudden change of direction. He kept going. Elena was trying to control her breathing as she ran, fear making it harder for her even more. After all it was her fault, it was her responsibility to look after Carl and she lost him.

"_Carl_!"

* * *

_HOURS EARLIER..._

Elena rubbed at her eyes, leaning against the Dodge Ram as she yawned.

"Oh no."

"What?" she asked Glenn, half opening her eyes at him.

"I was wondering when sleep was gonna catch up to you."

She waved her hand at him. "I'm just resting my eyes."

"Mmhm, you can't even stay on your own two feet," T-Dog remarked.

Elena groaned, leaning her head against the driver window. "Leave me alone. We've been on the road for hours now, my legs are just cramped." She began rubbing her temples. But Glenn was right, the sleepless nights were really getting to her now, she was exhausted. Her eyes felt sore and drowsy. Although the nightmares had gotten slightly better she was still having a hard time falling asleep right away. She'd toss and turn for hours every night.

"Wait, I think I know what will help." Glenn went over the to the Hyundai, grabbing something from the trunk before returning to them. He then threw it to her.

Surprised, Elena quickly caught it.

"They say apples wake you up better than coffee." He pointed a finger toward it. "You're just gonna have to eat around the rotten part."

Elena analyzed the apple in her hand. The side of it had been shrivelled down and turning an ugly brown. "Well, whatever I'll try anything." Pulling out her knife from her pocket, which she had just recently cleaned, she began cutting out the pieces of apple that looked decent enough to eat. "How much time did Rick say we had?"

"Fifteen," T-Dog answered.

"Alright." Elena handed them a couple of pieces of her apple before she walked off, deciding to look for Daryl. She found him by his motorcycle. He was bent at the knee, cleaning over the black paint and the metal bars. She watched him for a moment as he cleaned it with care before he finally stood straight, noticing she was beside him.

"I've been meaning to ask you...why do you have an SS insignia on your bike?" she asked, pointing toward the white Schutzstaffel painted on the side of the motorcycle. Elena wasn't much of a history buff but she could recognize a Nazi symbol when she saw one. It bothered her at first when she first saw it, wondering if Daryl may be a white supremest but that thought had died away quickly when she saw how he treated Glenn and T-Dog with equality.

He looked at her, his brow cocked and Elena lifted her hands in defence. "No judgements, I'm just curious."

"Ain't my bike. Was my brother's."

"Oh." She nodded her head, understanding now. Although she didn't understand much. She hardly knew anything about Merle but now she was beginning to get mixed messages on how the man was. From what Daryl had told her about him he seemed like a decent enough guy. But T-Dog had told her otherwise.

Elena remembered then what T-Dog told her about Merle and how they had left him cuffed on a roof. She opened her mouth to mention it but at the last minute decided against it. If Daryl wanted to mention it at all, then he would, if and when he wanted to.

Instead, she took a bite out of her apple and looked to her side, catching sight of Lori talking to Carl. She frowned then, still remembering Lori's request. Elena was still fine with what she had asked her, but as she thought it over, the request was beginning to worry her. And thus became another reason for her tossing and turning at night.

"Got Olive Oyl worryin' ya now?"

Elena turned at Daryl's question, who was looking at her curiously. "Olive Oyl? You mean Lori?" He gave her a nod and she sighed, looking back at her. She didn't know whether the request was meant to be a secret, but she trusted Daryl enough to tell him.

"She asked me, when we go out and Carl comes with us, to watch him."

"He ain't yer problem."

"No," she agreed.

"Ain't gotta take that responsibility neither."

Elena gazed back at Daryl. "I know but what was I suppose to say? He's not my son I shouldn't have to watch him?" She ran her hand through her hair. "It's fine, I don't mind. Carl is a good kid, but God forbid if something happens to him Lori's going to blame me."

"Rick won't let anythin' happen to 'im," Daryl replied softly.

Elena nodded her head. Daryl was right. Rick as a father already ultimately had the responsibility of watching Carl but considering Lori and him were having problems, Lori had been too afraid to say anything so she had gone to Elena for help. And in reality, Elena already had taken responsibility of protecting the entire group, she shouldn't be worried about watching Carl also. At least in a sense she wouldn't be the only one watching over him, Rick would be there too. She smiled at Daryl then which in return the corner of his lips slightly tugged.

After what had happened with the shoot out, Elena and Daryl had tried to gather their space, knowing the other needed it. Elena didn't want to push anything further, afraid that had she talked to him about it, it might push him away. It was difficult, Elena didn't completely know Daryl yet and she was still learning everything she could about him. She wanted to know what made him tick, wanted to know what he was comfortable with and what he wasn't. Physically, Daryl appeared to be experienced as such, but emotionally he wasn't. And she had felt bad having dumped the emotion on him that day. If it had been too much for him, he didn't say a word but Elena felt the need to clear the air.

"Hey, about what happened the other day...with the hijackers and getting upset with you. I'm sorry if I got a little emotional about the entire thing."

"Nah." Daryl shook his head. "You were scared."

Elena watched him, his words striking hard at the truth. Fear had gripped her that day, thinking that what if Rick hadn't acted as fast as he did? What if they had casualties on their side too? What if Daryl had gotten hurt?

Daryl held her gaze and she wondered if he was able to read her mind because his eyes held understanding. He then took a step toward her, ever closer and Elena swallowed. Daryl reached toward her when they heard laughter at their side and the two turned seeing Glenn and T-Dog talking amongst themselves. Daryl dropped his hand.

Elena knew Daryl wasn't comfortable, not with them being plain out in view in front of the others, with Glenn and T-Dog barely steps away. Privacy was a luxury they didn't own and Elena didn't realize how much she wanted it at that moment.

"Daryl."

The both of them turned at Rick's voice. Daryl gave one final look toward Elena before walking off to see what Rick wanted.

Rick stood a couple of feet away, staring up into the sky, predicting the weather, Daryl figured. Although it had gotten cold, they couldn't tell when snow would fall. The rain had come and go randomly that it was hard to tell what the weather would be like that day. But so far the skies had been clear. When Daryl finally got to his side, Rick met his eyes.

"Think you can go out huntin' in these parts?" he asked him.

Daryl looked passed him to the forest. "Ain't gonna find deer but gotta be somethin' out there."

Rick nodded his head. "So far haven't seen any walkers around. The group needs a break. Take the time hunt us somethin' good, I think we all could use somethin' new to eat."

"I got it." Daryl turned then and whistled.

Elena lifted her head, looking toward him and Daryl gestured with his head for her to come. He looked back at Rick. "Man the fort while we're gone?"

Rick nodded his head, giving him a slight smile. He walked off, placing a hand on Elena's shoulder in greeting as she walked pass him.

"What did Rick want?" Elena asked .

"Wants us to go huntin'," he answered. "Go get yer stuff, meet me back here."

* * *

Elena followed close behind Daryl through the mess of leaves, the sun beaming down on them through the bare branches. They had been out there for a bit and nothing had alarmed them so far. Rick had been right, for once there were no walkers around and they had room to breathe. And for once Daryl and her had privacy. However, they had a job that needed to be done. The group had been living on canned food for quite a while and they needed the protein meat provided. Daryl hadn't had any luck other days, what with lone walkers scaring off everything in the forests but it looked like today they could actually catch a break.

Daryl then bent suddenly, looking down over the leaves.

"What is it?" she asked him quietly and came at his side.

"See that?" He pointed down toward the ground and Elena shook her head. Daryl gently grabbed her arm, pulling her down beside him, before pointing to what he was looking at again.

Elena saw it then. Tiny paw prints. "Is that...?"

"Rabbit," he answered.

"No way." Elena met his eyes and smiled. The thought of having barbequed rabbit was like having dinner at a five star restaurant now. It was the little things at the end of the world that could lighten up the day.

"C'mon." Daryl helped her up and continued walking.

Daryl followed after the tracks closely, having more of a keen eye than Elena did. She could only imagine the look on everyone's faces when they brought back fresh rabbit. A shred of hope they all needed.

When Daryl put his hand up, Elena stopped walking, watching him as he lifted his crossbow. He bent slowly and Elena tried to follow his gaze, when she spotted the flicker of moment on the leaves. She sucked in her breath, worried that it might scurry off if she so much made a little sound. After a moment, Daryl shot an arrow. And as always, he hit the target. Daryl grinned then, looking over at Elena before making his way over to their successful hunt. The wild rabbit was on it's side, the arrow having gone through the side of it's head.

"I kinda feel sorry for it," Elena whispered as Daryl pulled the arrow out.

"Why? It's dinner now," he said gruffly before wrapping some rope tied around it, and properly placed it on his shoulder. He reloaded the arrow back into his crossbow, placing a hand on Elena's back to urge her forward again. They walked a little bit longer before Daryl decided to break the silence. "How's that aimin' of yours?"

"Haven't had the practice for a while," she told him honestly.

Daryl looked back at her before he stopped walking, seeing a squirrel up on a branch. It was perched up there looking like it was nibbling on something. Daryl lifted his crossbow to shoot but stopped himself. He thought for a moment before he looked back at Elena and jerked his head at her. "C'mere."

Elena tilted her head at him, hesitant for a second before reaching his side. He then handed her his crossbow.

"Oh no, no, I can barely aim with a pistol let alone a damn crossbow." She shook her head at him.

"Shut up. Take it." He shoved it in her hands when she refused the second time. "Hold it like this." Daryl took the time to adjust her arms in a comfortable position for her to hold it.

It was a lot heavier than she expected it to be, and she knew now where Daryl had gotten his upper body strength from. Daryl came up behind her, his arms on hers as he held the crossbow with her. She tried to focus as he aimed the crossbow up, toward the squirrel he had spotted but having him tight against her was too distracting for her concentration. Ideas rushed through her head, things that she could do now, now that they were alone for once.

"Got it?"

Elena jumped when Daryl spoke in her ear and suddenly pulled the trigger, the arrow going flying and the squirrel running off quickly back to safety. Daryl sighed.

"Shit, I'm sorry," she apologized, handing him back his crossbow.

"S'alright. Go get my arrow ya lost."

Daryl watched her as she nodded her head and began jogging toward the direction the arrow probably landed. Elena wasn't the one that had slipped up, it was him. He had pulled the trigger a little too early when she had jumped against him. It was moments like these that she made him lose his composure. When he had first taught her to aim, he was careful to keep a distance between their bodies, knowing full well that if he got any closer regretful thoughts would have entered his head. He knew he was already attracted to her then he just didn't want to admit it because he expected her to not be interested in the least. And yet Daryl had been wrong.

The need to be near her was there, and even stronger now that they were alone. Daryl was trying to find a good time to get close, but at every precise moment he'd chicken out. He wasn't exactly sure if grabbing her would be too forward, and maybe it was and she'd pull away. In all honestly, he didn't know how else he could do it. Any time they did get together it was usually a spur of the moment from both sides. Daryl couldn't make the first move, not that he didn't want to, he did. There were things he wanted to do to her, things that even surprised him. And in that moment did Daryl realize that there could be a chance he was getting addicted to her.

"Daryl?"

He perked up at Elena's voice, seeing her standing off, the arrow already in her hand but she had her attention on something. Daryl took his leisure over to her side. He looked at her face first before following her gaze and at the sight she was seeing.

Below them down the cliff they were standing on was the opening of what looked to be a large building full of storage units. A couple of bodies littered the spacious parking lot, as far as the eye could see. But the most evident sight were the signs on the roof, signs in front of the building.

SHELTER HERE

ALIVE INSIDE

Daryl and Elena exchanged a look before returning their eyes back.

* * *

"A shelter in storage units?"

"It makes sense," Glenn told Rick. "It's spacious. People get their own room. Maybe they were moving in food there, medical supplies."

"How can we be sure that the signs says what it is?" Rick questioned, looking toward both Elena and Daryl.

"Really we can't," Elena answered. "Maybe there's survivors in there, maybe there isn't, but think about it. If there aren't, there could be left over food supply in there, not to mention we might find other things we need."

"And if there are survivors?"

Elena paused for a moment, thinking over her answer. "I'm not sure. But they had signs saying 'alive inside', so they want people to know they're in there."

"Could be a trap," T-Dog inquired. "Wouldn't be surprised if it was, after what we went through."

"Believe me I know, but honestly, whether people are in there or not that place might have things that we need. Not to mention a place to stay, even for a little bit."

"She's right." Daryl moved his eyes from Elena to Rick.

Rick gazed at Elena for a moment, thoughtful. It was a gamble. A big one. Anything could be in those storage units, walkers and worst of all living people. Maybe they'd encounter another gang in there, maybe they won't. Whatever it could be, they were going in blind.

"I don't want the entire group to go. Four of us max, to check it out," Rick finally said. "Go in heavily armed. I'm not taking any chances."

Everyone nodded to his word.

Rick had decided for the others to stay where they set up with the Dodge Ram, taking the artillery they needed and leaving T-Dog, Maggie and the rest of the group with the other weapons. Because T-Dog's wound was still healing he was ordered to stay behind so they wouldn't risk the ripping in his stitches from any drilling task they could face. Elena helped with setting aside the supplies that were in the back of the truck, to be put in the Chevy in case they came back with more. Hopefully they would.

"Carl, is going with you?"

Elena turned, Lori coming up to her side, concern written all over her face. Elena looked around momentarily in sudden surprise. "I'm not sure."

"I just saw him talking to Rick," Lori stated. "How sure are you that there are no hijackers in that place?"

Elena frowned. "Fifty/fifty."

Lori covered her lips with the palm of her hand and looked away from her. "What is Rick thinking?"

"There's a good chance that no one could be in there too," she tried to reassure.

But Lori was shaking her head. "Please, Elena what ever you do—"

"I know, Lori." Elena sighed. "I told you I'd look after him."

"Thank you." Lori gave her a sad smile as she squeezed her arm. "Walkers are one thing but people..."

"I know."

"We headin' out?" Daryl suddenly called out, approaching the Dodge Ram. Lori gave Elena a final look before walking away. She saw her steer in Carl's path before she knelt down and was talking to him. In that moment seeing the parental fear in Lori's eyes, Elena really did hope that the storage units would be vacant.

The group waited until Rick and Carl entered before they set off. Elena drove through the roads, trying to find the turns that would lead down toward the storage place she and Daryl had seen. When she recognized the building she headed straight toward that direction. As soon as they reached the parking lot, Elena slowed down the truck, manoeuvring around the bodies that laid lifeless on the concrete. Everyone looked toward the building, seeing the signs. All had been painted on, across the walls and doors. Elena brought the truck to a stop.

"Should we just go in?" she asked, looking toward the passenger seat at Rick.

He gazed at the entrance for a moment, waiting. Elena wasn't exactly sure as to what for, but she thought maybe he was looking for movement or a sign, something that would hint the fact that they weren't alone. When Rick finally stepped out, everyone followed his lead. He pulled a shotgun around his shoulder, handing Glenn another one that had been Toni's. Daryl had kept with his crossbow. Rick pulled out some flashlights, handing one to Daryl.

Elena had explained to Rick that she didn't want to carry a heavy firearm, she wasn't exactly ready to handle one, but she kept tight her Glock 17, fastened in the waistband of her pants as always, and her crowbar in hand. The group walked across the parking lot, checking in all the sides.

When reaching the entrance door, Elena could see figure prints, along with streaks of blood over the chipped paint. She made a move to use the crowbar to open it when Rick suddenly placed his hand on hers, stopping her. He reached for the knob and it wobbled out of it's place. The door had been broken through before. Elena exchanged a look with Rick, before she felt a hand pull her back. Daryl let go of her, going in front, nodding at Rick before he aimed at the door. Rick opened it in that instant, and Daryl stepped in immediately. He waited for a moment before he waved the rest in. Elena placed her hand on Carl's back, making sure he was beside her as she walked in.

The hall was dark as per usual, but they could see a small flicker of light at the end. Storage units were on either side of the walls. Majority of the units were closed shut, but some were either fully opened or slightly ajar. The group walked slowly, flashlights in hand, keeping them pointed toward the floor in order to not cause attention to whatever might be in there. Elena gazed into the open units. A few were empty but others had built in beds made out of blankets and empty boxes.

"Rick," Daryl called. Daryl then pointed his flashlight forward, illuminating something on the floor. Elena then saw it. A dead body.

"Tight formation," Rick whispered behind him, his eyes set on Carl, as they continued.

Elena looked down at the body as they stepped over it. It wasn't as decomposed as most walkers she had seen, but there was a bullet in it's head and blood that looked relatively fresh. Elena looked back at her side, Carl close beside her, his gun tight in his hands. Daryl kept straight although the halls forked left and right. Another body was found then. The body was pale, thin, it's clothes ripped and old. It had once been a walker, and someone had killed it recently.

"Something's not right about this place," Glenn whispered, looking back at Elena and she nodded her head.

Something had happened here. It hadn't been shelter for a while. Walkers may have gotten in, or other people. Whatever the case, going in here had looked to be a bad idea. Their footsteps echoed in the halls as they walked, perking up there ears for any sign of trouble, careful to check in the units with their flashlights. Elena looked around, narrowing her eyes and seeing spots of blood on the doors and walls and worry begin to settle in her. She then heard something, a sickening noise before she realized she had stepped in something. She looked ahead of her at Carl, his shoes leaving behind prints of red. The puddle of blood beneath her led in toward a unit, it's door only a foot open. She saw movement suddenly, something reaching toward Carl's ankle.

"Carl!"

Elena reached for him, pulling him back so fast he almost lost his balance.

Rick, Daryl and Glenn turned in that instant as something crawled out of the unit and growled. Glenn lifted his gun, smashing it against the head of the walker that was crawling out. It still hissed and Glenn swung at it again, when another walker crawled out. Elena pulled Carl behind her, ready to attack it.

Then, they heard an echo.

Everyone paused at first, unsure if they heard right but the growls weren't something they could imagine. Daryl turned his head swiftly, lifting his flashlight, illuminating the faces of the dead as they came toward them, stumbling and shoving against each other through the narrow hall.

"Back up," Rick ordered as everyone began retreating back.

Carl looked up at Elena and she grabbed him, pulling him with her and turning the corner to her right into another hall. She gasped in that instant, a walker standing close in front of her. She let instinct drive her as she swung her crowbar hard against the walker's temple. It fell to the ground, already attempting to get back up. Elena was about to swing at it again but looked up just in time to see more walkers coming. She cursed to herself and stepped backward, she looked behind her, entering another hall that had been to her left.

Daryl and Rick skid to a halt as walkers began pouring from the hall on their right, the walkers were walking ahead following after Elena and Carl. Daryl shot at one immediately, killing it but there were too many of them.

"Shit," Rick muttered, looking back, seeing the other group of walkers coming closer. Rick waited for a gap before he ran behind the walkers making their way toward Elena and Carl and whistling at them to grab their attention. When one turned he swung at it with his gun, dropping it to the floor.

Daryl tried to go forward, stepping higher to see Elena over the walkers that were beginning to turn to him. He only caught a glimpse of her before he noticed figures behind her and Carl.

"Elena!"

She jumped at Daryl's shout, turning behind her, seeing the group of walkers approaching. Elena's heart began beating quickly. She returned her eyes to the walkers that were near Daryl, Rick and Glenn then back at the walkers behind her. Her and Carl were trapped.

_Bang._

A walker behind her dropped and she shifted her sight toward Carl, his gun aimed when he moved his arms, pulling the trigger and killing another. Elena gripped her crowbar and attacked, catching a walker in the eye before kicking it against it's chest as the body fell backwards. They heard gunshots behind them from the others, their plan of stealth now long abandoned.

Daryl went as fast as he could, trying to kill the walkers that had barricaded him from Elena but there was too many and the group of walkers they had first seen had to be closer now.

Rick shot at another walker and backed up, seeing the other ones beginning to turn the corner, replacing the walkers they had killed. His eyes widened. They couldn't break through fast enough.

"There's no way we can take them all on," Glenn remarked frantically, panting as he aimed the shotgun and fired.

Elena tried to look back but she couldn't see the guys. More walkers had filled the gap the men had killed. There was no way they could get through that.

"What do we do?" Carl asked her, looking back also, his gun still aimed at the few walkers that were still coming at them.

Elena tried to think as quickly as she could. All the halls were connected, they had to work around, find another way to team back up with the three.

"Rick!" she shouted as loud as she could. "Rick, we need to split up! We'll move around, meet back at the exit!"

Daryl listened carefully at Elena's word but he gritted his teeth. He couldn't just leave her alone. Gunshots were echoing in the halls, more walkers would have heard and it was just her and Carl. Hell no, he wasn't just going to leave her.

Rick continued to back up. "She's right, we gotta go."

"What?" Daryl said quickly.

"There's two many. They're closer to the exit then we are," Rick began saying but Daryl was wondering that it wasn't him he was trying to convince it was himself. After all, Carl, his son, was alone with Elena.

"C'mon!" Glenn shouted and turned to run. Rick hesitated before he ran after him.

Daryl looked back one final time before letting out a frustrated growl, running after Rick and Glenn.

* * *

Elena was running, trying to keep her pace in the level as Carl's making sure he was ahead of her at all times. They looked back at the walkers following.

"Right, Carl, turn right!"

He did but at that instant he skidded to a halt. Elena sucked in her breath, walkers approaching from that direction also.

"Where are they coming from?"

Elena grabbed Carl's hand turning back and going left instead. She was trying to remember then how to get back at the exit but they had been side tracked by the amount of walkers blocking their path and the halls were too narrow to plan an evasive action around them. She looked back at Carl, his usual calm face now scared. They were going to get lost in this maze of storage units if she didn't think of something quick. She turned another corner with Carl, one that was empty and ran when she thought of something.

"Carl, wait."

"What are you doing?" he asked her, grabbing her arm. "We gotta keep going."

She bent down to his eye level. "We won't get to the exit like this. I'm gonna try and lead them away from you, okay? You can hide in one of these units and get out as soon as they pass."

Carl began shaking his head. "What about you?"

"I'll figure it out, right now you need to get to the exit, okay? You're dad will be there." Carl stared at her looking like he wanted to refuse. Elena quickly went forward, reaching for a unit that was already half open. "Do you remember how to get back?" He nodded his head slowly and Elena began hearing the growls come closer. "Go, Carl, hurry."

"But—"

"I got your back remember?" Elena tried to smile at him.

After a moment he nodded his head before lowering himself and entering the unit. She bent, looking him in the eye. "Don't leave here until you're sure I emptied the hall." He nodded his head and with that she closed the unit far enough so he was hidden but was able to watch for feet. She turned just in time as the walkers turned the corner and she waved at them.

"C'mon!" she yelled. "Over here!"

The walkers began spurting forward, her shouts riling them up even more. She took long strides backward, making sure all of the walkers were following her. When she could see majority of the walkers pass the unit Carl was hiding in, she began running. When she reached a turn on her right, she headed there, slowing down to give the walkers enough time to catch up, too worried that one of them would stray away and head back where Carl was. Elena pulled out her gun from her waistband as she walked backwards and aimed. She pulled the trigger at the sight of a walker, the bullet skimming his temple. She inhaled deeply, bringing up the hand that was holding her crowbar, steadying her aim and firing again, the bullet hitting it's head. She switched her target, hitting another walker in the eye. She turned then and tried again to gather more space between her and the walkers. She knew she couldn't kill all of them but killing a few would buy her some time and the noise from her pistol would attract the walkers to her rather than Carl.

She didn't know what she would do afterwards with the walkers on her tail, she hadn't thought that far ahead, too scared for Carl's safety. Elena rounded another corner, seeing at the end of the narrow hall were two ways she could go, left or right. She ran, always pausing enough to making her the walkers were behind before going ahead again. She pivoted on her left, trying to head back to the exit, hoping that Carl was already ways in front of her. Elena stopped again when she shifted her gaze, recognizing the hall the group had been walking through before. She headed toward that direction, reaching another corner.

A growl came at her side suddenly and Elena lifted her gun and fired. But the walker was much too close and the bullet had hit the ceiling. She backed away quickly, losing her footing and hitting hard against the one of the closed units behind her, it clattered loudly from her weight. An arrow then pierced straight through the walker's eye. It dropped.

"Ya alright?" Daryl was already at her side, helping her back up straight on her legs. He lifted his hand to her face, seeing the fresh blood on her skin.

Elena panted, trying desperately to catch her breath and meeting Daryl's troubled eyes before she looked passed his shoulder at Rick and Glenn. She pulled away from the closed unit and looked at them with relief before she stopped herself.

"Where's Carl?"

Rick froze, staring straight at Elena. "He was with you."

Elena's heart was beating fast again. "I made him hide in a unit, told him to come here after I led the walkers away from him."

Rick's jaw tightened and she could see fear starting to form in his eyes. "_Where_?"

"This way," she told him quickly, running back where her and Carl had gone, thankful that she was good with direction. She was running, Rick, Daryl and Glenn close behind as she jumped over the walkers her and Carl had killed to get away. When Elena reached the hall she had left Carl, empty of walkers this time, she quickly reached the unit he had hid in. She lifted the door, her heart in her throat and at that moment she thought it stopped beating.

Rick came up beside her, lifting his flashlight inside the unit but it was empty.

Elena felt like she lost her breath as Rick stepped away from the unit before turning back where they came. He broke into a sprint.

"Carl!"

Elena cussed to herself, starting to follow after him.

"We'll split up, cover more ground," Glenn called out behind her.

She looked back, meeting Daryl's eyes. His eyes hardened. Elena looked away and began running after Rick.

Rick was already several feet ahead and Elena pumped her legs to go faster to reach him.

"Carl!" he screamed through the halls.

Elena panted, trying to focus her breathing, remembering what she use to train for when she did cross country running. But the adrenaline was pumping much more fiercely into Rick's veins and the desperation to find his son was driving him so much faster than she could go.

When Rick suddenly turned a corner, Elena had skid on her heels, losing her balance at the sudden change in direction. She regained her footing and kept going. She could feel the strain in her legs, her breaths coming out faster and burning her throat. Her head felt white hot, fear rushing through her. Where the hell was he? He had a clear path to meet up with Rick and the others. If something happened to him...

"_Carl_!"

Rick's screams were deafening, each one more hoarse than the last. He turned another corner, lifting his Python and shooting a lone walker in the head as he ran passed it. He turned another corner. Elena tried reaching up behind him, but the distance was growing between them and if she didn't pick up the pace, she'd lose him. But when he suddenly stopped, she did too. Daryl and Glenn suddenly came around the corner.

"Did you find him?" she nearly shouted at them.

The two were panting and Glenn shook his head.

"Which way?" Rick grabbed Elena then, but when she didn't reply fast enough he yelled again. "_Which way_?!"

Daryl took a step forward, unsure whether he should intervene. Elena looked scared, but so did Rick.

"I don't...he could have tried another way," Elena answered.

Rick let her go in that instant, running his hand down his face quickly. He took a moment and headed down another hall.

Elena bit at her lip, tears welling up at her eyes and she held a hand over her mouth. Daryl grabbed her then, his hold on her gentle and she started shaking her head, looking up at him. "It's my fault, I shouldn't have left him, I should have kept him with me, I should have..." She was starting to talk faster, her words less coherent.

Daryl leaned toward her, lifting her chin so she looked at him. "We'll find 'im."

Her bottom lip trembled and she nodded her head slowly. Daryl grabbed her wrist, pulling her along with him as they followed after Rick. Rick was walking briskly now, looking down the halls they passed.

Then, they heard a gunshot.

Rick looked back at them. Everyone heard it.

Quickly, they followed the sound. Another gunshot sounded and Rick went forward faster.

"Carl!"

It felt like ages while they ran but when they reached the end of the hall, they saw it. The herd of walkers. Gunshots sounded behind it, one shot over the other. The group ran toward it, Rick pulled out his shotgun and began shooting. Daryl let go of Elena, using his crossbow. Glenn jumped forward aiming his firearm. The men began attacking, one walker after another. Elena pulled out her pistol, aiming and pulling the trigger. She was able to kill four before she heard the empty click in her Glock 17. Elena shoved it back in her waistband, gripping her crowbar, readying herself before swinging at a walker.

"Dad!"

Elena turned at Carl's voice, seeing him through the gap between the walkers that were approaching her. Rick blasted his shotgun, the noise burning their ears as they brought down the herd. Elena jumped forward, trying to get to Carl.

Carl was backed up against the wall, his gun aimed high at the walker coming toward him. He pulled the trigger.

_Click._

His clip was empty.

Elena ran as fast as she could, ignoring the strain in her legs before she rammed herself against the walker. Hard. The walker dropped, Elena landing beside it and she felt a sharp pain on her side. The walker grabbed at her, gripping her arm painfully. Before Elena could fight it off, something fast went straight through it's head and it's grip on her loosened.

"Hey! This way!"

Elena was disoriented for a moment at the unfamiliar voice and looked up, seeing a figure standing away from her. The figure was shooting at the walkers behind her, waving his arm out in front of him.

"This way!"

"Elena, c'mon." Carl began pulling Elena up, and Elena grabbed at her side quickly, the pain not ceasing. She then felt someone grab her arm, Daryl pulling her with him as Rick and Glenn followed behind, after the figure.

The figure broke through a set of doors, holding it out for them as they entered, before slamming it behind them, quickly fastening a chain around the handles and locking it. It was at that moment, did Elena recognize the figure was an older man. He jumped back as soon as the walkers pressed up against the door, the chains rattled but did not break.

They were in a room filled with empty boxes, some of them stacked, white sheets over top them. The room looked less touched of blood than the halls and storage units had been. Elena stood behind Daryl, holding her side as she looked around.

Rick ran toward Carl, grabbing him in an embrace tightly. He pulled back after a moment, looking Carl over at arms length. His face and clothes were covered in blood but a smile was still spread over his lips. Rick sighed with relief, more than grateful that his son was alive and safe. When Rick thought he was able to stand, he did, turning around to see the man that had just pulled them away to refuge. Daryl and Glenn already had their guns aimed toward him.

The man was much older than Rick, his salt and pepper hair combed back, wet with sweat. He held a pistol in his hand, an axe in the other. He gazed at them for a moment before he holstered his pistol.

"Ain't no need for that." He looked toward Daryl and Glenn and at their weapons. His eyes shifted toward Carl then up at Rick. "This yer boy?"

Rick nodded his head at the question, his eyes narrowed.

"Found yer boy running through the halls. Don' know them halls leadin' to the exit are full of them things, do you?"

The group exchanged a short look.

Glenn stepped forward, finally lowering his shotgun. "This was a shelter, where are the rest of the survivors?"

The man shook his head. "Ain't nobody here since I came four days ago."

Rick watched him, still with distrust. "You the only one here?"

The man grinned, but the expression had no emotion. "I'm all I got now. Been tryin' to find shelter to stay. Days are gettin' too cold to be on foot no more. You folks here lookin' for shelter too? Sorry to disappoint."

"We came lookin' for supplies," Rick said slowly.

The man nodded his head before walking further into the room. "Ah. There ain't much." He walked toward a white sheet that was covering something and pulled it off revealing only a few boxes. "This place must've been overrun when their supply was low. This is all that's left."

"Why'd you save us?" Rick asked the question that everyone had been thinking.

The man took a moment before he turned. "Hadn't slept in days, yer gunshots woke me up. Been months since I've seen other people. Wouldn't be much of a man if I didn't save yer lil' boy. Kid's a good shot." He looked down toward Carl before giving him a slight smile.

"There another way outta here?" Daryl asked.

"Yeah, back door. I don' go in the halls unless I need to."

Rick thought for a moment. However little that supply was, the group could use it. The guy was only one man. But was Rick that kind of person? In that moment he thought about Shane, what he would have done. No, Rick knew better. The man had just risked his life to save them, what kind of man would Rick be if he took advantage of the man's vulnerability?

"Thank you," Rick said, nodding at the man. He looked back toward the others before jerking his head. "Let's go."

"Wait."

The five of them stopped.

"How many people ya got? In yer group?"

Rick jaw tightened. "We ain't takin' others."

The man laughed stiffly. "Better on my own anyway, but looks like ya folk could use the supply." He turned, stacking two of the boxes together and carrying them before dropping it in front of them.

Everyone watched him in stunned silence.

"Take it," he said.

"Why?"

"Not all men have gone to shit at the end of the world, son. I believe hospitality can still exist. Ya'll need it more than I do."

Glenn looked over at Rick, unsure whether to take it. Rick gazed at the man for a while before he looked at Glenn and nodded his head at him. He pulled his shotgun over his shoulder and bent to grab the boxes.

"Thank you."

He nodded. "The last door to the left is the emergency fire exit, will lead to the outside. Keep that boy safe, ya here?"

Rick nodded his head.

Elena managed to take a step away, grimacing at the pain in her side but she tried to walk normally after the others. Daryl pushed her gently forward to find the emergency exit. The group exited outside, Rick and Daryl with their weapons drawn. But the parking lot was still left empty of danger. They ran quickly back to the Dodge Ram. Glenn ran around back, placing the boxes of food in the back of the truck. Elena pulled out the keys, wincing as she inhaled.

"Elena, are you okay?" Carl asked beside her.

She quickly nodded before unlocking the doors and everyone quickly got in. Elena reversed back out of the parking lot and returned on the road, leaving the storage units behind them.

* * *

Lori perked up at the sound of an engine before lowering the blanket she was folding. Lori stared as she saw the Dodge Ram pull up behind the Chevy Suburban. The group stepped out from the truck and a sigh of relief blew through her. She smiled at the sight of seeing Carl, but she froze. He was covered in blood from head to toe as he slowly walked toward her. Lori ran, reaching him and immediately dropping to her knees.

"What _happened_?" Lori began desperately checking him over, worried she might find something, worried that the blood on him was his.

"Mom, I'm okay," he said, repeating himself when she didn't stop. "We got separated for a second, but I'm okay."

Lori stared at him wide eyed before furrowing her brow. "Go get yourself cleaned up."

"Mom?"

Lori returned her eyes on him, seeing the concern on his face at her expression. "Now, Carl. Please." He nodded his head reluctantly and left her.

Elena opened her door after the others had gotten out, too scared to make any sudden movements. The drive back had luckily been a smooth one and the pain had been nothing but a dull sting. She didn't know if her getting out of the truck would worsen it again. Elena build up her courage before finally stepping out. When she landed on her feet a shock of pain shot at her side and she held it instinctively before leaning hard against the truck. She clenched her teeth but she couldn't help but let out a short groan.

Daryl turned at the sound. At the sight of her, he instantly went to her side. "What?" He tried looking into her face, which was contorted with pain. He shifted his eyes down toward her hand that held her side. His heart began pumping but at the sight of no fresh blood he inhaled deeply. "Sit," he told her, gently sitting her out of the truck.

Elena complied, trying to breathe in carefully but she still felt it. Daryl moved her hand away, bending on his knee and slowly started lifting her shirt. Elena tensed up.

"It ain't pretty."

Elena shifted her eyes down. Daryl had her shirt lifted just above her lower rib cage. The skin around it was discoloured, an angry red and purple. When Daryl lifted a hand toward it, Elena recoiled back. Daryl looked up at her then.

"Could be a broken rib."

"Hurts like hell," she told him quietly, and winced again. She closed her eyes, trying to avoid moving as much as she could.

Daryl frowned, turning his head. "Glenn!"

"What's up—" Glenn stopped himself, seeing Elena. "Oh shit, you okay?"

"Find Hershel," Daryl said.

Glenn quickly nodded his head before jogging off.

Daryl looked back at her, checking over the wound again.

"It happened...when I tackled that walker from Carl." Elena tried to inhale again, the pain dull this time. "Didn't land properly." Daryl stared at her for a moment before looking back at the wound. Elena tried to inhale again, careful, resting her head back when she noticed Lori walking to her. Fast.

"What the hell happened back there?" Lori's question was hoarse and quick, her eyes angry but glazed over with fear. "Carl is covered in blood and he said you got _separated_? I thought you said you'd keep an eye on him!"

Elena opened her mouth to say something when Daryl suddenly stood.

"_Hey_." He took a step toward her, his shoulders tense. "He ain't 'er damn kid. Ya ain't got the right to be puttin' that responsibility on 'er! Want someone to watch him? Tell yer damn husband." He then backed up, his eyes still on Lori, before he pointed down at Elena. "See that? Happened after she saved _yer_ kid."

Lori stood there, her mouth slightly left open, too shocked to say a word. Daryl continued to stare her down.

"Lori."

At the sound of her name, Lori turned her head and saw Rick staring at her, his eyes hardened.

"We need to talk."

Lori hesitated for a moment before she lowered her gaze and began moving toward him, her steps slow. When she reached him, Rick lowered his eyes, running a hand over his mouth before he leaned to her, his hardened eyes never wavering.

"You told Elena to keep an eye on Carl?"

"It was just a precaution—"

"You don't trust me to watch over _our_ son?"

"You take him on these dangerous calls, Rick. I am _scared_." Lori glared at him then. "I am scared one day he isn't gonna come back with you."

"So you go put his life on someone else's hands?" Rick gestured toward Elena incredulously.

Lori lifted her hands, taking a breath to calm herself down. "I asked Elena if she would just watch over him and she said yes—"

Rick took a step toward her. "Of course she would!" Letting out an exasperated breath, Rick pulled back. "I'm his father. Carl is my responsibility. Don't be puttin' that on someone else." He gave her one final look before walking away.

* * *

"You didn't need to do that for me," Elena whispered.

Daryl looked at her briefly. "Yeah, well, I don' care. Woman gotta learn to keep 'er mouth shut." He then pressed his hand against her bruise. Elena jumped in that instant, the skin tender. "Don' think anythin's broke."

"Guys, I got Hershel," Glenn announced as he reached them.

"Lets take a look," Hershel spoke softly, bending down beside Daryl. Daryl held onto the end of her shirt as Hershel examined carefully. He met her eyes then. "This may hurt a moment."

Elena nodded her head and Hershel pressed his hand against her rib cage carefully. Elena bit at her lip and pinched her eyes shut, the pain hitting her in waves.

Hershel pulled back and sighed. "Good news is none of your ribs appear to be broken."

"And the bad news?" Elena asked him.

"The muscles around are severely bruised. There's nothin' much I can do. We must let it heal on it's own. It might take three to four weeks on average."

Elena stared at him for a long time before looking back down at her wound.

"That'll leave you out of commission until you heal."

Elena sighed then immediately regretted it. The shock hit her fast but this time she didn't make a noise. Now she was on the injured list along with T-Dog, and even if she fought over the fact that she could still help out, Rick would have disagreed. She doubted Daryl would have allowed that either. The one thing she didn't regret though was saving Carl. It may not have been the best way to take down a walker, but it had done the job. Carl was alive and safe and although she was injured, today was a good day.


	15. Chapter 15

**Damnn, the ending to this chapter nearly killed me. Usually I have a theme for each but this one really didn't have one until I was half way through. I know you guys want some Elena/Daryl action going on. It'll happen! All I need is your patience, more for Daryl's sake than Elena's. Anyway after this one I'm sure they are a step closer. Anyway, just bought one of The Walking Dead novels for extra inspiration because my bucket of ideas is starting to empty. I know what will happen in future chapters but nothing in between at the moment, so if you guys want to see something specific happen or whatever, got any suggestions, just let me know. 'Bleeding Out' by Imagine Dragons was my theme for this chapter. :P**

**Thanks to the followers and reviews of course, you guys are amazing.**

**I take no credit for characters with the exception to Elena Lima.**

* * *

"_Ah_."

"How does it feel bein' one of the injured players?"

Elena had uttered the groan when she lifted a box to the Dodge Ram, but the strain brought a sudden pain against her ribs, causing her to drop it to the ground. She brought her hand up to her side, guarding it as she leaned against the truck.

Elena looked up at the Dodge Ram where T-Dog was perched up, sitting on the cab, sniper rifle on his lap and watching her.

"It sucks," she answered him.

"Don't push yerself." Beth smiled at her side, grabbing the box she had dropped and placing it on the back of the Dodge Ram where Elena meant to put it. "Maggie said she'll keep an eye out fer painkillers fer you."

Elena nodded to her. "Good a time as any to have some. It hasn't stopped hurting."

"Try gettin' shot," T-Dog remarked, then laughed when Elena glared at him.

"The bullet skimmed you."

"Whatever."

Elena shook her head at the smile he gave her, knowing full well that now he was just teasing her. She took slow steps as she walked, finding a seat in the trunk of the Hyundai that was left open. She sat carefully but the pain still came. It was beginning to frustrate her. No matter how she moved she could never avoid it. Elena lifted her shirt over her rip cage, wincing when the fabric slightly touched the bruise. It looked a lot worse now.

"Looks like it hurts."

Elena lifted her eyes and smiled at the sight of Carl. She pulled her shirt back down. "It'll heal."

"I got shot before," he said. He started kicking at the ground nervously. "Hurt a lot too."

Her eyes widened. She never heard about this before. "How?"

Carl slightly grinned and shrugged. "It was an accident."

"Damn," Elena whispered. "You're a tough kid."

He shook his head, his face suddenly embarrassed at her statement. "Did you play sports before? You tackled that walker really hard."

Elena laughed. "The truth is, I had no idea what I was doing. Kinda driven by survival instinct now." Elena watched him for a moment. "How come you didn't go with the others?"

"Dad didn't want me to. Said that since you and T-Dog are injured I should stay and help watch out for walkers."

"Sorry, Carl, being injured and all, can't exactly do much."

"It's okay." Carl smiled again. "This time I get to watch your back."

Elena smiled. "That's right."

"Carl? Do you mind giving me some time to talk to Elena?"

The two turned, seeing Lori come to their side. Carl nodded his head, smiling at Elena one more time before walking away. Elena leaned back slightly, a little nervous. Lori hadn't talked to Elena since Daryl had defended her after she was upset over the state Carl came back in. Elena had no ill will toward Lori, knowing that if it had been her she would have been worried about her son too. Elena was the one that said she'd watch Carl, it was her call to take that responsibility, Lori had somewhat of a right to be upset.

Lori sighed before she moved, taking a seat beside her. She looked at the ground for a second before bringing her eyes up to Elena. "I wanted to apologize for the way I acted."

"No, Lori, it's okay," Elena whispered. "I understand why you acted the way you did."

Lori shook her head. "Daryl was right, I should have never put that responsibility on you."

"You asked me and I said yes—"

"Would you have said no?" Lori looked at her and Elena didn't say anything. "It was unfair and I am sorry. After all he did come back safely, and you were injured helping him."

Elena slightly laughed then winced, the action causing an ache in her ribs. "I tackled the walker like I was playing football. Not exactly the smartest thing I've done."

"It saved his life."

Elena brought her eyes back on Lori, and gave her a slight smile. "He's a good kid. A lot tougher and braver than you give him credit for, Lori."

"I just want him to have his childhood."

"He doesn't have much of one now."

Lori laughed at that but her laugh was empty and she looked away. "Rick said the same thing."

"He's gonna be raised into this now," Elena whispered. "Can't avoid that."

"Yeah."

A silence lingered over them for a moment, and Lori looked solemn. But Elena didn't know what to say to her. She didn't want to lie, she didn't want to tell her that maybe things will go back to normal and Carl could go back to being a kid again. It wasn't true and they all knew that.

When the two heard an engine, both Elena and Lori looked up, seeing the sight of the Chevy Suburban coming toward them.

"They're back."

Elena didn't bother getting up, too fixed with the idea that if she did the pain would come back. So, she watched Lori as she met up with Carol, who was walking toward the Chevy to help with what supplies the others had probably gotten on the short trip at a pharmacy they had gone to. Maggie had gone with them and even Hershel, leaving those that were less inclined to fight behind. And now that Elena had to stay behind also, she realized how much she hated waiting for them to come back. It was the anxiety of not knowing if they were okay or not, and it ate up at her. She didn't know how Carol, Beth and Lori did it. It was like the mothers, wives and sisters waiting for their soldiers to come home. Elena knew the risks they were taking fully, because she had taken them also and she supposed that's what made the waiting worse.

But as she watched all of them step out of the Chevy, not merely as covered in blood as the usual scavenging entailed, it washed away her anxiety fast. All of them appeared to be fine.

She then spotted Daryl moving away from the others and toward her, holding something in his hand. Elena straightened up, lifting the corner of her lips when his gaze met hers.

"Find anything?"

He lifted his hand, showing her what she recognized as muscle numbing cream a lot of athletes normally used. "Ain't much. Lift yer shirt."

Elena tried as he stood in front of her. She winced then, and blew out a breath in frustration. The weakness of not being able to do the simplest of tasks were starting to agitate her and the fact that she had to deal with this for a few weeks was going to drive her insane.

Daryl looked at her, exhaling through his nose as he squeezed some cream onto his hand. He bent forward, holding her shirt for her. He hesitated for a second then placed the cream onto the bruise.

Elena jumped for three reasons. One, for the obvious pain. Two, from the coldness of the cream. And three, at the warmth of Daryl's calloused fingers on her skin. Elena watched him, the pain suddenly the last thing on her mind. Maybe it wasn't exactly a romantic or sexual gesture but her body reacted nonetheless. As it always did when he touched her. There was that sexual attraction between them that was really hard to ignore considering they had acted upon it before. Well, when they did actually have privacy. Elena, however, had wondered if it was only just a physical thing they had going on, and even then she was still unsure, well on Daryl's behalf anyway. But if him taking care of her like this wasn't hint enough that Daryl's feelings for her went a lot deeper, then she didn't really know what she was looking for from him. Elena supposed she was just use to guys who were open with their affection toward her. Daryl on the other hand was a very hard man to read. But that's what made his actions toward her, such as these, all the more special.

Daryl glanced up at her for a second, his eyes doing a double take. He held her gaze, his eyes slightly narrowed not from suspicion but from intensity. For a moment she thought she saw a craving in them, a hunger and Elena's mind flooded with images of him and her when they usually looked at each other this way.

It always felt like gravitation was forcing them to act on their thoughts. Elena never wanted to fight against it, she can shamelessly admit she wanted Daryl, wanted to be physically closer to him. Elena leaned forward, the gap between them shorter than she remembered and she wondered if Daryl was leaning too. Her lips just about touched his when—

"Hey, Elena, we found some painkillers for you."

Daryl pulled back abruptly, the intensity and hunger in his eyes gone. He rubbed the cream on his hand off onto his pants as a nervous sentiment when Glenn approached them. Daryl gazed at her momentarily before walking off passed Glenn.

Elena sighed, lowering her shirt down. She looked up at Glenn who had a wide smile on his face.

"What?"

"I saw that."

Elena stared at him for a while and his smile grew. "Glenn, _honestly_, if it wouldn't hurt so bad I'd hit you right now."

"Now you know how me and Maggie feel when we don't get privacy." He then tapped a small bottle against his hand, a pill dropping into his palm and he lent it to her. "It's the only one we found. Gotta make it last."

"Thanks." Elena took it, deciding to swallow the pill down dry.

"How you feelin'?" Rick had asked the question, coming up behind Glenn. His expression was softer than usual as he ran his hand through his slightly damp hair.

"Same pain, different day."

"We'll go on another run tomorrow for you and T-Dog. The Pharmacy was cleaned out."

"That's fine. I'll make do," Elena reassured.

"If you need anythin'..."

Elena nodded her head.

Rick had been extremely understanding with the way things had gone down at the storage units. In the moment, it was apparent that Rick would be worried about his son as he had been when they had lost him, and he may have taken it out on Elena but it was only because she was the one watching him. But after what she had done to save Carl, and how Lori acted toward her, Rick had been nothing but polite to her. Elena wasn't sure if it was his way of being spiteful toward Lori, if it was it wasn't necessary. She hadn't seen them talk since he pulled Lori away from her conflict with Daryl on Elena's behalf and Elena had felt at fault. Maybe Lori's reaction was pushing the boundaries a bit but Lori was scared, didn't Rick see that?

Rick nudged on Glenn lightly before gesturing toward the Hyundai. "We're headin' out."

Glenn nodded to him.

Elena attempted to stand up, the ache still there but the chill from the muscle cream that Daryl had put on her had numbed it down. Glenn reached to close the trunk as she walked toward the Dodge Ram, passing Maggie, Beth and Hershel with a smile of acknowledgement. She slowed her steps, seeing Daryl getting ready to go on his brother's bike. He looked up at her, staring, something written across his eyes. Elena couldn't read him, his expression serious as it usually was. Nonetheless, his stare brought heat through her body and she hoped that he couldn't see that on her face.

* * *

"You alright?" T-Dog asked and glanced back to Elena.

She was clenching onto her passenger side handle as T-Dog drove the Dodge Ram, trying to straighten her body as much as she could. "Each bump is like a kick to my ribs. How long 'til the painkillers kick in?"

"I can signal to Rick to take a quick break—"

"No, it's fine. It's late anyway, I don't want to delay us any longer before the sun goes down."

"You sure?"

Elena nodded her head. She was a burden now, she knew. At least protecting the group and helping scavenge had given her purpose but now that she was injured that was no longer true. All she could do now is try to be out of the group's way as much as she could, which meant she didn't want any special treatment and cause any reason to hinder their drive further down the road.

When Daryl finally stopped in front, so did the others. The sun was slowly lowering and having shelter for tonight would have been agreeable. T-Dog kept the engine running, just in case they had to leave in a hurry if the abandoned house was full of walkers. Elena watched as Rick stepped out of the Chevy, followed by Glenn and Maggie as Daryl went in front on their decent toward the house. They stood outside the door for a moment before they filed in, leaving Elena's view. She frowned in that instant.

She hated not being there with them and helping them. She felt a lot more comfortable knowing she could get their back if anything happened rather than waiting and leaving it to chance. But a little part of her knew that she wanted to be in there to make sure Daryl was okay, to make sure she watched after him. Of course, Daryl was more than capable of handling himself and if anything it would be him watching over her. Although she did help him on some occasions so maybe it worked both ways.

It felt like ages before the four stepped out, waving for everyone to come in. T-Dog switched off the engine and Elena stepped out of the truck. Elena went to Carol's side as she went around the Hyundai, opening the trunk and grabbing the box that had the dinner they would have tonight. Elena went to grab the bundle of blankets when someone set her aside. She looked up, Daryl grabbing the blankets from her reach.

"Jus' go inside."

Elena wanted to argue but decided against it. She went to the truck, grabbing her bag and entered the house following after Beth and Lori.

"We'll stay here. Leave at first light," Rick informed as they entered inside.

Elena walked after Lori into a room, and what she could see, it was once a living room. The group began to settle in, while Daryl and Rick kept watch near the windows. Elena sat down beside Carl, barely feeling anything on her side now. The painkillers were starting to dispense through her system. She leaned her back against the wall, now taking the opportunity to inhale without each breath being greeted with a shock of pain. Carol and Lori started to distribute the food they could spare for that night.

Carol handed Elena a can with a smile. "Help you get your strength back up."

Elena returned the smile and took it.

The group was mostly quiet when the sun had set, with the moonlight the only thing illuminating the small room. Elena was laid on her back, trying to fall asleep but she couldn't. She was half in and out, the drugs making her drowsy but even then sleep would not come. She tried to be patient as long as she could, keeping her eyes shut, her hearing focused on Rick's footsteps out in the foyer, hoping that would sooth her. Elena didn't know how long she had been trying when she opened her eyes, staring up at the ceiling. Elena sighed, turning onto her side and the pain hit her. For just that split second, she had forgotten about her ribs. The painkillers had worn off and the pain was there to stay. Elena bit at her lip, trying not to make a noise as to not wake the others. She pulled herself up slowly, holding her side and she leaned against the wall. Elena looked over to the others, everyone was still asleep. She then lifted her eyes seeing Daryl sitting by the window with his crossbow perched in his lap. And watching her.

Elena kept with his gaze, knowing her face was in a grimace and he could see it. He stood then, placing his crossbow down and walking toward the duffel bag that they had for medical supplies. He pulled out something in his hand, grabbing a water bottle and walking up to her. Daryl came to her side and bent, sitting on his heels as he popped two pills into his palm.

"I can't, we're suppose to let those last," she whispered to him.

"Don' matter. We'll find more." He handed it to her.

Elena sighed, giving up and taking the pills from his hand and the bottle he offered her. She swallowed down the pills fast.

Daryl moved beside her, leaning his back against the wall and propping his legs up, resting his arms on his knees.

"Not exactly fun not being able to contribute."

"S'fine. We'll manage." Daryl looked down at her. "Ain't the first to be injured. Got an arrow in my side once, fell down a cliff."

"Yeah, and I doubt that stopped you." She adjusted herself beside him. "Three to four weeks feels like a lifetime." Elena paused for a moment, rethinking what she said had no merit to her meaning. In the end of the world, three to four weeks _was_ a lifetime. "Okay, poor choice of words."

"Yer a tough girl. I give ya two weeks," Daryl whispered, his gaze on the ground.

"I hope so." Elena looked down at the ground also, her expression sobered. "I hate seeing you go out there and I'm not there with you. To watch your back," she quickly added.

Daryl scoffed. "Was fine before I met ya."

"You know what I mean."

Daryl's eyes met hers and he let out a light breath as his eyes softened. He looked away afterwards.

They stayed in silence and Elena felt the exhaustion weigh her down. She closed her eyes before resting her head against Daryl's shoulder in which he slightly flinched in response. It didn't bother Elena anymore, considering it was a usual occurrence when she touched him and since he never really pulled away, it didn't concern her anymore. Elena listened to Daryl's steady breathing, letting it sooth her. It didn't take long before her focus was less there and sleep finally took her.

* * *

_No matter how far Elena ran the colour red followed her. It was everywhere. On her hands, her clothes, her face. She tried to get away, so desperate to find a light at the end of such a grotesque sight. But when she turned she lost all feeling in her legs. They froze and she couldn't move them. She gazed out and her eyes widened. Walkers were coming toward her but they didn't have dead faces. All were familiar, every walker she knew. Mom, Dad, Amelia, Toni, Carol, Beth, Hershel, Maggie, Glenn, T-Dog, Rick, Lori, Carl..._

_Daryl._

_Elena lifted her gun in that instant but her aim was shaky. They kept coming, hissing and growling at her. She bit at her lip, shutting her eyes and pulled the trigger._

_But she couldn't. She couldn't do it. _

_Her hand was tight on the gun, her knuckles going white at the pressure. Her eyes opened in that second, Daryl nearly a foot away from her. He wasn't disfigured as most walkers she had seen. He looked almost normal, untouched. Then, he barred his teeth. They were coated in red._

_Elena tried to move but her legs were locked in place and the desperation to get away pumped through her veins._

_Daryl grabbed her in that instant, so fast as he bent, sinking his teeth into her throat, into her flesh and all Elena could see was red._

Elena woke up with a start, her breath lost.

Daryl tensed at that instant. Elena had been quiet and asleep at his side for what had to be give or take half an hour that her sudden jolt had somewhat startled him. He shot his eyes to his side, toward her. She was gazing at her surroundings, panting as recognition reached her eyes. She leaned her head against her hands, her whole body shaking.

Daryl placed a hand on her in an attempt to calm her down and she jerked away abruptly.

Elena looked at him, her eyes fearful. There was a sudden distance between them that she had made, and she looked at him as if she didn't want to be near him. She was still shaking, her breathing harsh. And Daryl wasn't exactly sure what had gotten into her.

When her breathing slowed, the fear that had been in her eyes was gone, quickly replaced by regret. It was the first time she ever pulled away from him. Elena looked away from Daryl before she suddenly stood up. The quick action forced her hold her side in that instant, a shaky breath coming out passed her lips. Daryl stood, hesitant before reaching to her and she pulled away again.

"_Don't_."

Daryl furrowed his brow in confusion. Her voice was quiet, barely a whisper, an instinctive thought she uttered that he wasn't meant hear but he did. She wouldn't look at him.

He saw her place her hand over her mouth and then she left him, walking straight out of the room.

Elena couldn't face Daryl, not after that dream. Definitely not after how she pulled away from him when he touched her. In that minute it wasn't Daryl she saw, it was him as a walker and the image frightened her. Her heart was still beating fast and her body was still shaking. These nightmares were looking more real by the day. It was the worst one she had by far.

Elena stepped out into the foyer, needing to get away, too much of a coward to go back. Rick turned to her at the sound of her approach. Elena stared at him and his questionable gaze. The sight of him surprisingly made her calmer, knowing for sure she wasn't still dreaming. Elena walked up to his side, not saying a word and looked out the window beside him. It was pitch dark outside.

"Everythin' alright?" he asked her after a moment.

"Fine," Elena lied.

Rick watched her, her attention on the outside world, but there was something in her eye. Something off. Maybe she woke up from another nightmare? Rick shifted his eyes away looking back outside with her. They stood there for a while in silence before he saw some movement near the cars parked outside. A walker then stepped out, stumbling as it walked. Elena tensed up beside him, staring at it. He saw her look at him from the corner of his eye.

"Should we...?"

"No," Rick answered her, his whisper hoarse. "Don't need to cause attention to ourselves. Let it walk by."

She nodded at that, watching the walker as it moved, dragging it's feet and continued on passed their vehicles. The walker then left their view and Elena let out a breath. Rick looked back at her, clenching and unclenching his jaw. He returned his eyes on the window.

"I don't think I ever properly thanked you," he said, keeping his eyes straight toward the outside, "for what you did for Carl."

Elena leaned against the window sill. "That's not necessary, Rick."

"I think it is. Probably saved his life both times. I wanted to say how grateful I am."

Elena didn't reply.

"And Lori...I am sorry she asked you to do somethin' that wasn't your responsibility to take."

"Don't apologize. What Lori asked me was understandable and you shouldn't be so hard on her about that." Rick met her eyes then. "I know it's none of my business what goes on with you two but she's just a worried mother. I have nothing against her or how she acted towards what happened. I just wanted you to know that."

Rick watched her for a long time before he exhaled, moving his eyes away from her, his jaw going taut. When he didn't say anything, Elena knew just as much that Rick didn't want to talk about it, didn't want to talk about him and Lori and he had every right not to. It really wasn't any of her business.

"So, haven't really gotten much of your story. Where you came from and what not."

He was changing the subject and Elena knew that was the end of the conversation they had before. She was fine with that.

"I guess not. I was living in Atlanta as a college drop out."

"You mentioned that. What were you studyin'?"

"Interior design." He cocked a brow at her and she shrugged. "Wasn't really my thing. My father was pushing me to go to college, pushing me to just make a decision, so I picked that. And I hated every minute of it, so I dropped out. That didn't sit too well with him." He nodded his head. "Kinda wished I was studying something that could be transferred, y'know? Can't imagine interior design will do much for the end of the world."

"I think your doin' fine where you are now."

"Minus the injury," she spoke softly.

"It'll heal, give it time."

"And if we get attacked for any reason again? Whether it be walkers or people?"

It had been on her mind for a while now, but she tried not to roam on it. Elena had a handicap now and knowing this it somewhat scared her. Not only could she barely protect the others, she couldn't really protect herself either.

Elena shook her head, trying to forget those thoughts. "Sorry, whole thing is frustrating the hell out of me."

"I know. We might need to hold up somewhere if need be."

"Is that really such a good idea?"

Maybe it was Rick's way of making her feel better, just an empty suggestion.

Rick was silent for a moment. But when he took long to answer, Elena realized he wasn't going to answer at all, and she looked back outside, the night feeling like it was dragging on now.

* * *

When morning came, everyone began setting their supplies back into the cars. Elena leaned back against the Dodge Ram, rubbing the sleep out of the corner of her eyes. She had helped Rick keep watch majority of the night, too afraid to go back and face Daryl. She didn't know what to say to him about what happened because she didn't exactly know herself. She dreamt about the group often and sometimes the dreams were different but that one had been new, so distinct. She was just getting used to the other ones but this new nightmare was a hard one to stomach. Of course, it was nothing but a dream, nothing but her subconscious playing over images in her head, but it worried her. Was it suppose to have a meaning of some sort? She hoped to God it didn't.

Elena decided to watch the grounds for the others, at least being a spotter would be a lot more useful than just standing around and doing nothing. She'd been resisting the urge all morning but when her eyes caught sight of Daryl she didn't have the willpower to take her eyes off him. He was walking beside Rick, talking to him about something Elena couldn't hear. She saw Rick nod his head and walk away from him toward Hershel. And Daryl was coming her way. Elena inhaled, able to now handle the pain from her ribs that followed after. She supposed the fact that Daryl flooded her mind that moment helped also. But he wasn't looking at her as he walked and he went passed her toward the back of the truck, throwing his bag in. He adjusted the strap from his crossbow over his shoulder and walked again.

Elena mustered her courage, reaching out for him. "Daryl."

He continued walking but she was able to see the slightest twitch of his head at her voice. Elena stood there in confusion for a minute as he went. Did she hurt him last night when she pulled away?

Daryl lent his shoulder down so the strap from his crossbow would slide off and bent to lock it up behind his brother's motorcycle. He stopped for a moment staring at it and began chewing the side of his cheek. He lifted his eyes and Elena was still staring at him, her brows furrowed.

Out of all the things Daryl didn't care about, her pulling away from him last night should have been one of them. But it had stuck with him, reminding him that he had no idea what he was really doing with her. Elena was injured and Daryl felt the need to take care of her, and last night seeing her wake up, after a nightmare he assumed, he wanted to take the chance to comfort her. To do what he hadn't been able to before back at the neighbourhood, at her brother-in-law's resting place. He had tried and she pulled away from him. Daryl wasn't mistaken, he had seen the regret in her eyes afterwards and maybe she was still shaken up but she had walked away from him. Daryl thought to go after her on impulse. But he stopped himself. Hell, he didn't need to go running after her. If she rather go and talk to Rick, stay with him the entire night then fine, Daryl didn't give a shit. But he was lying to himself.

So many years, so many years Daryl went through not needing anybody. His father didn't care about him, Merle left him and Daryl was alone. He didn't need anybody. And then the world ended, and meeting back up with Merle, Daryl ended up walking underneath his shadow. Merle was all he had left, as much of a jackass he was, but Daryl needed him. And then just like that he was gone and left Daryl on his own again. Daryl was stuck with people that didn't know anything about him, didn't care what happened to him, but they needed him to survive and maybe that was reason enough that he stuck around so long. And with Sophia and Carol... Daryl was just looking for something to hold on to again, something he needed. And then Elena came, a woman desperate for survival. A woman that was patient enough to get to know him, a woman that was interested enough in him to want something more. A woman that made him _want_ her. And now he realized, that need that he lost from Merle, to have someone, was now on her.

He needed Elena? Daryl could hear Merle now, saying that all those years he spent trying to make him a man had gone to shit. But Merle wasn't there, he wasn't there breathing down his neck anymore and Daryl had the ability to make his own choices without following his shadow. He made a choice last night, he wanted to be there for her and she denied him.

Maybe he should have been used to it, should have known it would happen eventually. But for once he wasn't prepared.

Daryl finally looked away from her. He grabbed the handles and straddled his brother's bike before kick starting the engine.

Daryl let the engine of the bike fill his head so he wouldn't be able to think. He needed that more than he expected.

As an hour went by on the run, a curve in the road came and Daryl followed, slowing down when he noticed something in the distance. Upon closer inspection, it was a roadblock. Daryl drove as close as he could in front of the rows of cars that blocked their path.

Elena poke her head out the window from the sudden stop they had to make and sighed when she saw the abandoned cars on the road.

"You see anythin'?" T-Dog asked her, trying to peer over the Chevy.

"Cars are on the road."

T-Dog pursed his lips before getting out, Elena watched him. Rick also stepped out of the truck with Carl, along with the others.

"Any way around?" Rick called out to Daryl.

"Nah," he answered. "Gotta move 'em."

Rick placed his hands on his hips, looking back and waving to Glenn, Maggie, Beth, Hershel and Carol. "We need every able body, get them moved quick. T-Dog and Carl you two keep watch 'til we clear a path for us. Holler if you see anythin'. No gunfire."

Elena waited. She couldn't really help much in this situation and although it bothered her in a sense as being the one on the sidelines all the time she was glad for the slight break. After staying up last night, losing the sleep she needed had become regretful. Elena leaned her head against the window and closed her eyes, listening in as the others pushed the cars out of the way. She tried to clear her head, tried not to think of Daryl, of the dream or of walkers. She let her mind only take in the sounds of cars being pushed to the side of the road, the creaking from the shocks in the vehicles when the tires hit the ditches. It helped her clear the stress that lingered over her, even just briefly.

Then, something slammed against her window.

Elena jumped, looking back and her eyes widened. A walker stood outside her door, dragging it's fingers against the glass, its face pressed up against it. Elena immediately backed up into the drivers seat, staring at it. Quickly, she reached into the back, feeling for her crowbar. When she clenched it she moved her hands for the driver door handle and jumped out. She saw T-Dog perched up on the back of the Dodge Ram, staring at her oddly and he followed her gaze.

The walker moved away from the window and started walking around the hood. Elena didn't hesitate. She ran to it and swung. The pain shot through her quick at the sudden vibration that went through her arms when she stuck the crowbar into the walker's head, the adrenaline doing nothing to mask it. When the walker fell, Elena let go of the crowbar and held her side.

"Walkers!"

Carl's shout behind her brought back Elena's focus and she looked up just in time to see another walker moving from behind the hood of the Dodge Ram. Elena grabbed for her crowbar from the dead walker and pulled. The pain in her ribs didn't cease and the harder she pulled the worse it got.

"Elena, get outta there!" T-Dog shouted, jumping off of the Dodge Ram.

The walker came closer and with one cry, Elena jerked the crowbar back as hard as she could. It came free out of the walker's skull suddenly and Elena fell backwards. Elena clenched her teeth, the hard ground doing nothing but worsening her injury. The walker ahead of her growled, reaching for her as she desperately pulled away. T-Dog then jumped in front, swinging a baseball bat against the walker's head. It fell to the ground and he swung at it a couple more times. Elena saw it then, more appearing behind the Dodge Ram.

"Dad! Walkers!"

Rick was pushing a vehicle to the side when he heard the scream. He turned in that instant along with Daryl.

"Carl, get away from there!"

Daryl's heartbeat thumped hard against his chest seeing Elena on her back, vulnerable to the danger. He ran for it.

Lori immediately jumped out of the Chevy, reaching for Carl and pulling him with her away from the coming walkers.

Elena tried to drag herself away, her right hand holding her crowbar to her side. She attempted to sit up on her knees but the pain pulled her down even more. T-Dog was in front of her, doing as best as he could to keep the walkers at bay. He swung at one, it thrown to the floor before he went ahead to attack another. But the walker he hit lifted its head, its colourless eyes staring at Elena. It then reached its hand forward, dragging itself toward her. Elena's breathing became harsh, trying again to get on her feet but her lungs expanding against her ribcage was making the pain almost unbearable. The walker grabbed her ankle and Elena tried to kick at it. The walker opened its jaw, leaning down to take a bite.

At that moment Elena felt hands grab underneath her arms and she was dragged back, the hold from the walker gone. She was let go and Daryl jumped into her view, slamming his knife into the walker's skull.

"Get the cars out of the way now!" Rick yelled back at the others and ran. "Lori! Carl! Get back!"

Daryl went to Elena's side, sheathing back his knife and tried pulling her back to her feet.

"Don't worry about me! Help T-Dog!" she told him.

Daryl ignored her, carrying her weight. Rick ran passed him, nodding toward him, a silent agreement before he went to T-Dog's side and started attacking the walkers.

"Daryl—" Elena attempted to tell him to leave her be but the groan that passed her lips stopped her from trying.

"C'mon, ain't leavin' ya here," he said and pulled her back.

"No." Elena pulled away from him then and he stared at her. "I'm fine. _Go_."

Daryl watched her for a long while and Elena kept with his steady gaze. He backed up a step and turned, running back to Rick and T-Dog.

"C'mon push!" Glenn shouted. They were at the second last car, but moving them was taking a lot longer than he they had anticipated. Maggie and Beth pushed at the back of the vehicle, the wheels finally turning on their own and the car landing into a ditch at the side of the road. "Move, move!"

Glenn looked back, seeing Daryl, Rick and T-Dog fighting against the walkers that were coming. He couldn't tell if it was a full herd or just a group of them, and not knowing made it worse.

"Glenn!" Maggie shouted at him.

Glenn ran toward the last car and pulled at the driver door but it was locked. He swung his axe through the window and unlocked it, throwing the door open. He reached for the emergency break and yelled at the others to push the car. With the strength of Carol, Beth, Hershel and Maggie, the car moved forward fast and Glenn steered it away off the road. Glenn looked forward, an opening now laid out for them.

"Rick! It's clear! Let's go!"

Rick turned, seeing Glenn waving his hands at him from a distance and the clear gap he'd been waiting for on the road. Turning back, Rick pierced his blade against the head of a walker in front T-Dog.

"T-Dog, in the truck, Daryl and I will cover you!"

T-Dog nodded at his order, backing up as Daryl replaced his position. He ran for the driver's seat of the truck, starting up the engine.

Rick looked to his side at Daryl who kicked a walker in the knees, grabbing its hair and shoving his knife straight through its head.

"We move on three."

Daryl nodded to him, taking a step back, a few more walkers stumbling toward them.

"One...two..._three_."

Rick and Daryl pulled back and broke into a sprint, Rick in the lead. He yelled at Lori and Carl to run back into the Chevy.

"Go!" Daryl yelled to Elena, grabbing her and making sure she reached the Chevy. Daryl pulled the back door for her and Elena immediately jumped in. He slammed the door closed, looking back at the walkers before running for his brother's bike.

Elena caught her breath, Rick starting up the engine. The walkers were already starting to reach their doors. At the sound of Daryl's motorcycle, Glenn went ahead in the Hyundai and Rick drove after it, T-Dog right behind.

Elena rested her head back on the headrest and held her side, the burn in her ribs much more profound as it had been on the day she got the injury.

* * *

"We need to head over this direction before nightfall, get enough distance between us and that herd."

Rick nodded his head toward Glenn who circled the area where they had met the group of walkers at the roadblock with a red marker. "We'll cut through here, find us some coverage and sleep in the cars in case we need to head out again. There's no tellin' whether more herds maybe near by."

"We didn't use any gunfire," Maggie spoke up. "Other walkers couldn't have heard us."

"That herd got the jump on us," Daryl replied to her. "Could be more 'round."

"Yeah," Glenn agreed. "We should keep on the smaller roads then."

Daryl watched as they conversed, trying to devise a quick plan B for where they were headed to now. But Daryl's eyes drifted, his attention on the plan no longer there. His eyes led toward Elena, like they always did. There she sat, outside of the Dodge Ram, the tube of muscle cream he had gotten for her in her hand. She was lifting her shirt but she stopped, her teeth clenched tightly before she lowered her hand.

Daryl's leg started to tap for a moment and he looked away, thoughtful. He looked back at her, seeing her bent over. He let out a frustrated sigh, pushing away from the Chevy and away from the others, striding toward her before he changed his mind.

Elena was more than grateful for the break Rick issued after their half hazard escape from the roadblock. The entire ride all she could think about was the muscle numbing cream she had left in the Dodge Ram, desperate for some release from the agony her side was in. She should have let T-Dog take down that walker instead of taking on the task herself but her motions now were purely instinctive. But now she had learned her lesson because although she had been able to kill the walker, her side was burning like wildfire. Her impact on the ground hadn't done anything but immobilize her after, making her vulnerable in the attack. Fortunately, Carl alarmed the warning and Daryl was there to initiate the rescue. Maybe she should have been happy that Daryl saved her, putting aside the cold shoulder he had been giving her since the morning. The danger had a way of putting any drama or tension moot.

However, now that the adrenaline was no longer pumping through everyone's veins and the atmosphere settled to a calm state, things were back to as it were. The others were deciding on their next plan of action to manoeuvre a course away from the group of walkers they encountered and Elena took the time to get back to the Dodge Ram and tend to her wound. And she had tried but overcoming the pain had been too difficult to do that her simply breathing and moving her arms caused a shock of pain to run through her. Elena was too afraid to push her movement further. Of course she could have asked Lori or even Carol to help but they were also there listening on the plan and Elena didn't want to pull them away, convinced that she could handle putting the cream on herself. She had been wrong.

When Elena heard footsteps approach her as she was bent over to try to concentrate on her low breaths, she looked up, half expecting it to be Carl or even Glenn. It was neither.

Daryl stood in front of her. His expression was in slight agitation and she couldn't quite tell whether it was toward her. Maybe it was, after all she kept trying to push herself and all it did was make the state she was in even worse.

He didn't say anything, just jerked his head toward her shirt and Elena took that as a signal. She lifted the hem far enough, the action a little more pained than usually, her fingertips touching the bruise causing her to clench her teeth. Daryl took the tube of cream from her hand, bending in front of her as he squeezed it onto his fingers. He was reluctant for a minute before he touched the cream against her skin, his eyes narrowed.

It was the most he had acknowledged her since the morning, with an exception to the herd they had to deal with a moment ago. The danger was gone, the tension between them was there again. Elena wasn't sure at first if what had happened last night had caused his sudden passiveness toward her, but now she was. She could see it in his eyes, as much as he tried to hide it. Her action had caused a distance between them, and she wished she could take it back. She didn't know pulling away from him hurt him as much as it did. Sometimes she forgot that she wasn't the only one trying to get closer to him, he was also trying, allowing her to be. And yet last night she forced them a step backward. Daryl wasn't going to say anything about it, she knew him well enough. He barely expressed how he felt in words. So, having the short privacy they had, Elena deciding to push the subject in question.

"I know you're not gonna bring it up, so I will," Elena began and his eyes finally lifted to hers, "last night—"

Daryl's eyes lowered. "Ain't got nothin' to say." His reply was quick and rough. Irritated.

Elena tried to look into his eyes, but he wouldn't allow her. And at the moment, as patient as she thought she was, Elena couldn't hold herself back. "Don't pretend you don't care."

His hand stopped moving against her then.

"Give me the cold shoulder all you want, Daryl, but what I did last night bothered you. I can tell."

Daryl kept silent and he dropped his hand away from her. She could see his brows furrow.

Elena sighed and closed her eyes. "I'm sorry... The dream I had..." She ceased her words. Did she really need to account her nightmare to Daryl? Would he understand then? No, because Elena didn't really understand the nightmare herself. "I didn't mean to pull away from you."

Elena opened her eyes returning them on him, looking for a reaction, anything that she could see so she knew Daryl was listening to her. His eyes were still lowered, but he was chewing the side of his cheek, something that Elena analyzed that he did when he was in thought. Elena let herself calm as she stared at him.

"I think, this is trial and error for the both of us," she admitted. "And I messed up this time."

Daryl was still silent, but when he exhaled Elena knew her words had driven away the irritation he had. He was fidgeting with the tube in his hand before he reached toward her side again, rubbing the excess cream he had missed. She assumed that was his way of telling her her apology was accepted as subtle as it was. Elena didn't expect anything more from him. A slight smile slid on her lips knowing that her mistake hadn't completely destroyed what they had going on. Right now, understanding each other was the step they were on at the moment.

Elena took the opportunity, leaning forward and brushing her lips against his temple. "Thanks for saving me back there, by the way." His eyes met hers, and he looked away.

Elena wasn't sure but she thought she saw slight embarrassment on his face. But then she saw the corner of his lips do the slightest twitch. "Best stop movin' so I can put this on ya properly."


	16. Chapter 16

**Remember when I said you'd find out more about Elena as much as I will? Well, here you go I discovered more about her in my brain, lol. Also, gave the story a new cover because as a student that is taking a graphic design course I'm picky as hell, but I like this one better so hopefully I won't change it again. Anyway, about this chap. Heavily inspired by The Walking Dead novel I've been reading. Such a good read. Elena/Daryl here for you folks ;), and this chapter has a song, 'Holding a Heart' by A Girl Named Toby. It was on replay during the entire time writing this :P Hope you enjoy!**

**Always so much thanks to you lovely readers and followers. Don't be shy to review people :D**

**I take no credit for characters besides my OC's.**

* * *

"C'mon, c'mon."

The incessant ringing continued, and Elena listened on, her hope diminishing more at every ring. But she waited anyway, praying that someone would pick up.

"_The number you are trying to reach is unavailable. Please try again later_."

Elena let out a frustrated growl, pressing her thumb against the end button on her phone and practically throwing the piece of technology on her coffee table. She had tried calling everyone she knew. Her parents, her sister, even her roommate who was out of town but either the line was dead or no one was answering. She brought her eyes back on her television. The news had been broadcasting all day, more urgent at each passing hour.

"_Locals of Georgia are being told by authority to move to larger cities. Residents have been moving into Atlanta's refugee camps which have been fortified by the U.S. Army. No word as of yet where and when this great epidemic of infection started but we will keep you posted of any updates._"

Elena sighed, running her hands through her hair and pacing through her apartment. The infection was all over the news now and no one had been able to shed a light of what the hell it was. She knew that the issue had gotten so much more serious when she saw the U.S. Army begin to role into town, in uniform and heavily armed. Elena was beginning to question whether the news broadcast were being aired live anymore due to the fact that it sounded a lot worse in the streets of Atlanta than they had made it seem on TV.

Elena stepped out from the sliding door to her balcony when she heard the loud sirens beneath her. She looked over, seeing two fire trucks, three ambulances, four police cruisers and four military humvees rush through the street. She heard panic from the people below, a lot of them appearing to be in a hurry to get somewhere. The sight brought nerves within her and Elena ran back inside. She grabbed her phone again and dialled Amelia's number. The phone rung and rung and rung.

"_Hi you have reached Amelia and Toni. We can't come to the phone right now but just leave a message and we'll get back to you as soon as possible._"

Elena clenched her fist in annoyance and closed her eyes, waiting for the beep that followed after to relay her message. "Hey, Amelia, this is Elena. Call me back as soon as you get this."

When Elena lowered the phone she realized the sirens she had heard earlier had doubled in amounts. She stood there, looking back at the screen of her television the dread beginning to settle. Then, she heard popping coming from outside her sliding doors, so loud that they sounded like fireworks. Elena hesitated, unsure then headed back to go outside her balcony. But a knock outside her door stopped her. The knock was loud, fast and came with a pause, before whoever was outside her apartment door pounded at it again.

"Elena, open the door!"

Elena ran when she recognized the voice that yelled in the hall. She unlocked the door and threw it open. Toni was on the other side, his face and hair drenched in sweat and his face contorted in exertion.

"Get your things."

"What?"

Toni stepped into her apartment, passing her living room and taking long strides toward her bedroom. "Extra clothes, bottles of water—things you can carry." He went into her closet, pulling her duffel bag she normally used during the summer when she went camping with friends.

"Toni, what the hell is going on?" she asked him, his fast and hurried movements beginning to frighten her.

"They're evacuating Atlanta."

"_What_?"

Toni was already throwing random clothes into her bag, walking past her again and heading to the kitchen. He opened her fridge, pulling out the freshly refrigerator bottles of water that were stacked on the shelves on the door.

"We need to get the hell out of here. Amelia is waiting outside in the car. We need to reach the interstate before it becomes gridlocked." Toni looked up at her, seeing the confusion in her eyes. "The infection reached the city."

Elena opened her mouth but she was completely awestruck. She didn't want to believe it but that meant those popping noises she heard...were those gunshots?

"I need to call my parents, I need to tell them whats going on."

"No, Elena." Toni grabbed her wrist when she tried to make her way back to the living room to grab the phone. "Amelia tried. All calls out of Georgia aren't going through. We'll try again later, right now we got to go."

Elena wanted to refuse. The sudden decision to leave her home unfathomable. But Toni's gaze on her was hardened, even frightened also. She finally nodded her head, grabbing her coat as Toni threw her duffel bag over his shoulder. He pushed Elena out the door, slamming it behind them.

* * *

It was a rare time when Elena regarded the past, when everything had gone to hell, where the apocalypse started. Where she was, who she was. It felt so long ago, almost like years. Sometimes she thought about the person she was, the frightened woman who tried to escape Atlanta, Toni leading her and her sister out of the city as fast as he could, the streets congested of people in panic. Sometimes the memories were a blur that Elena wondered if they even happened at all. She had come so far since then, travelled within the countryside of Georgia, places that she had never been to even though she had lived in the state for a good majority of her life. The most ironic of it all was that she always wanted to take a road trip through Georgia, to take in the vast majority of sights and smells that she never experienced as a child. But now the sights and smells she experiences are nothing short of what will never be again.

The loss of civilization was something every survivor had to be accustomed to fast. Elena was one of the ones that had a hard time to deal with that. She always expected a given chance that she would be able to contact her parents, tell them what had happened and why she was no longer in Atlanta. Of course, she assumed the broadcasts of the infection had become a global phenomenon, which gave her more reason to want to reassure her mother and father that she was safe out of Atlanta, with Toni and Amelia. The naive, hopeful Elena always expected she would have that call. But that hope and expectancy wore thin through the dreadful long days. In the few weeks she had left Atlanta it was an eye opener with what life had become. Panic, fear, death. At times she had doubtful thoughts, thoughts that she would always keep to herself, too scared to utter them to the others because she wanted to be the only one stupid enough to think such a thing. Thoughts that questioned whether any of them could survive this. Things had looked bleak and scarce, and the fight they had to put up with, killing carnivorous human beings, was carving out a part of Elena that she never even considered. A survivor.

The way of the world was natural selection and she could go on feeling sorry for herself or push and push until she no longer had fight in her anymore. This she learned from watching Toni. His head was always levelled, always planning their next ten steps. After all, as a trained soldier in the military, he was already prepared for such dim circumstances. Toni never faltered, never doubted. He had an air around him, one that said that they would all make it alive, together. Elena supposed it's what both her and her sister needed. That safe, protective sensibility that you didn't need to let your faith end just because it was the end of the world. Elena had held onto that, forcing her to step up, find that survival instinct that every mammal was born with. She was no longer Elena Lima, college dropout city girl living in Atlanta, Georgia who liked to go for a run every morning and grab her favourite beverage at her favourite coffee shop. She was Elena, a female survivor in the apocalypse.

The hardest part of it all was losing your identity, because it didn't so much as matter anymore. And it went for both humans and walkers. _Walkers_. Elena didn't even consider them as women, men, let alone sick people anymore. They were now _its_, things, walking corpses. Human, but not human. Of course seeing a multitude of them everyday, and how they were, how hunger drove them, changed the perception of what they were now. Her first kill of a walker had probably been the hardest thing she could have ever done. Elena still remembered it, like the day she got her license at sixteen, or the day she had her first taste of alcohol. This, however, was not a happy memory, and would never be a happy memory.

Her first kill was a woman, a woman in her mid-twenties, close to her age. She had blond hair, wore a ragged dress that would have looked beautiful on a sunny day. That's as far as normal it was. Her skin had been so pale that it was turning grey, molded, stretch over bone so tight it could rip. Old blood was on her, brown from age. Her eyes had lost all colour, the iris a pale blue with little saturation and the pupil the opposite of what it should be. White. Her infected bite was an easy one to see, a main identifier in most cases when Elena and her group first started moving around through empty streets and buildings. You always looked for a bite first, not to make sure, but to know and ready yourself that this person was sick and not human and needed to be put down. End the misery for the person they once were. Let them rest in peace.

Elena wasn't meant to kill the woman, she just had been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Toni, Amelia, her and the couple that were the original members of the group had taken refuge in a lush house left abandoned. The men always went in first to scout the inside, do what they needed to do to make sure it was safe enough, even for that night. Walkers were in the house. The family that once lived there had all turned. Elena knew this because she spent a lot of the time in that house looking through the photographs and she had caught a glimpse of the corpses Toni and Danny threw into the backyard, in order to make the house as liveable as possible. It should have been a warning, however, when she counted a family of five in the photos but only four bodies. Such information was as valuable as gold but Elena didn't know this at the time. She just assumed the daughter of the family of five was probably away at college and didn't live in the house. Maybe she lived in a different state. Maybe she was married and living somewhere else.

That night, Elena couldn't fall asleep, deciding to get a glass of water from the faucet. That was when plumbing and electricity was still working. Everyone had been fast asleep and Elena didn't think sustaining her thirst would do much to put her in danger. They were in a secure house, Toni had made it so. So she went in the kitchen, grabbed herself a glass cup that looked the cleanest, placed it under the water and let it fill. She drank it and placed it down against the counter, a little harder than she meant to. And that's when she heard it. An odd scrapping, scratching against what could have been wood.

Elena had taken a while just to listen to it, unsure if maybe this whole situation was causing her to hear things now too. But the noise didn't cease and sounded very close. She walked through the kitchen to listen for the volume of the noise before she found herself in front of the pantry door. Elena had placed her ear against it and when she did the noise just stopped miraculously. At that point she was sure she was hearing things, the fear of this whole epidemic causing hallucinations. So, she had walked away, but as soon as she did the noise started up again. What it did, however, was agitate Elena. Fear was getting the best of her and she was allowing it to by thinking she was hearing that scratching. She had built up her courage then, deciding to open the pantry door to rest easy her nerves and to prove that she was the one causing her stupid fear to begin with. But when she opened the door, what she had thought to be an vacant pantry was not vacant at all. She hadn't been imagining the scratching, the scratching was very real.

In that expanse of three seconds she opened the door, the walking corpse had jumped her, forcing Elena to stumble backwards, reaching back for something for stability as the corpse, that was once the daughter of the family, grabbed her shirt tightly. Prying her free was Elena's first instinctive move, but the snapping, blackened teeth snapped at her and Elena was screaming. She had never been so afraid for herself in her life, and she grabbed at anything behind her, her back pinned against the counter top so painfully that it even had bruised afterwards. Elena's hands had been rushed, slamming things onto the floor. Cups, papers, decor, whatever the family before had decorated their counters with. It was when she saw the knife rack did her brain finally function in the straight plotting it should have done when she opened the door. She grabbed whatever handle of a kitchen knife was closest and brought it against the woman's skull fast.

When the others had came to the room, woken from the sudden commotion, Elena was already on her knees crying, blood all over her skin. Elena remembered spending majority of her time in the washroom the rest of the night, throwing up everything that had been in her stomach, the smell and sight of the woman she had killed forever engraved in her mind.

Now, Elena had to be in her triple digits of walkers she had killed. She wasn't really keeping count, that was way more inhumane than killing them if there was such a thing. It was necessary for survival, necessary for the safety they were looking for. And they would find a safe place because Elena knew her hope to find it would never die, she wouldn't let it.

"Yo, Elena, we gonna need your help."

Elena jumped at the sudden voice at her side, her thoughts immediately diminished when she saw T-Dog outside her window. He was laughing at her.

She rolled her eyes at him, but a smile still broke through her lips. She pushed open her passenger door and T-Dog took a couple steps back, allowing her space.

"We're gonna head up to the creek, grab us some fresh water and boil it later," he told her, handing her an empty five gallon bottle they managed to take from a Kmart they passed miles back.

Elena only nodded her head, taking the bottle as he grabbed another from the back of the Dodge Ram. Reaching in the back of the truck, Elena grabbed her bag and crowbar. She followed after T-Dog when he began walking, meeting up with Carol, Lori, Beth and Hershel. Glenn, Carl, and Maggie were on watch for the short break and Daryl and Rick had already left to hunt. Because of Elena's bruised ribs, Daryl thought it would be better she stayed rather then went with him in the long hikes through the forest. It was a subtle sweet gesture from him, Elena had to admit.

"How's yer side?"

Elena brought her eyes toward Beth who was smiling toward her before tucking a strand of her bright blond hair behind her ear. "Better. Breathing doesn't hurt so much anymore."

"I'll have to take a look once we're done here," Hershel said, reaching to Beth's side.

Elena nodded her head to him, agreeing with his request. As they walking down the hill that led away from the dirt road the vehicles were parked in, Elena was careful of the steps she took. Although her injury was healing better now that she didn't exert herself as much as she had been earlier, falling at the moment could change that quickly. She took her time after the others, holding onto the trees nearby if she needed to before stepping further down. Lori and Carol waited for her patiently. When they reached the creek, it was a sight to behold. Elena couldn't remember seeing something so beautiful before, so untouched. The water was flowing down a pile of rocks, the water a natured green and shallow, leaves flowing over top.

Coming up to T-Dog's side, Elena helped with filling the empty five gallons, along with what other bottles they had that could fit enough water they could carry with them for the journey. Finding this stream had been lucky, they hadn't had much luck finding fresh bottles of water in the other places they raided.

After they gathered what they could, the walk back had turned out to be a lot harder than Elena expected, but Lori was there beside her, giving her a warm smile and giving her a helping hand when she needed it. Lori had her problems, everyone did, that didn't make them a bad person and Elena liked her.

When they returned back on the road, Rick and Daryl were there, Daryl already tying their meal for the night to the back of his brother's motorcycle. Elena helped the others to pack up the water and followed Hershel toward the Hyundai.

"Lets take a look," Hershel said.

Elena proceeded to sit out of the Hyundai and lifted her shirt over her lower ribs. Hershel bent on his knee to examine it. The dark purple had faded into a red and ugly yellow, but the faint colour was a hopeful sight.

Hershel then placed his hand over it. "I'm goin' to press down, you tell me on a scale of one to ten how the pain is."

Elena gave him a nod and he pressed his fingers against different areas of the bruise, applying pressure as Elena calculated the measure of pain to him. She didn't use a number higher than seven which she supposed was a good sign.

"How's it lookin'?"

Gazing up, Elena smiled, Daryl standing in front of her behind Hershel. Hershel looked up at him also.

"Fortunately, the injury has been healin' well," he answered. "Eventually, the pain will subside in a couple of weeks. Should be good as new."

"Thank you, Hershel," Elena replied when he stood and he gave her a warm smile before leaving, heading off toward Rick. She returned her eyes back on Daryl who took a step closer to her. "How was the hunt?"

"Ain't much out there. Gettin' too cold."

Elena nodded her head in agreement. After a bit, Daryl lent his hand toward her. Elena took it, and he hoisted her up back onto her feet. But he didn't let go of her hand, staring down toward her. It was then that she noticed how close they were standing, and it wouldn't have been such a surprise if Daryl pulled a little ways back considering that they weren't exactly alone. But he stood straight, his eyes steady on hers and Elena took in the clear blue that they were.

In her peripheral vision, though, Elena could see Hershel and Rick walking in their direction and Elena wanted to sigh aloud. Would they ever have time for themselves?

Daryl let go of her hand, his head turned toward Rick and Hershel but his body was still facing her and he kept with the distance between them, not taking a step back as he usually did. Elena watched him, admittedly stunned.

"We should head up the road, get some hours in and find us a safe clearin', make a campfire for the night," Rick said, staring at Daryl for confirmation with his hands on his hips. "Get what we hunted cooked. I think we all could use some protein." Rick's eyes shifted to Elena and he gave a small grin.

"What's on the menu?" Elena asked, her eyes going back to Daryl and returning to Rick.

They both answered in unison.

"Raccoon."

* * *

"I'm not gonna lie, that actually smells pretty good," Glenn proclaimed, taking another whiff of the aroma barbequed raccoon wafted.

Carol kept the meat close near the ember. Rick had said not to keep a high fire for the night, they couldn't risk being spotted from a far distance. T-Dog was already boiling the water they had taken from the creek in order to purify it from any bacteria that could be roaming in the liquid. Elena preferred to watch, the sight fascinating her. She had learned what most boy scouts knew in such a short amount of time. T-Dog reached his hand toward her and Elena gave him the empty bottle so he could pour the hot water in. They usually left the bottles out anyway, so the cool night air would cool them down.

Elena took the full bottle from T-Dog's hands, capping it and handing him another. When she heard a sharp breath, Elena turned her eyes to Lori beside her who had her hand stiffly over her nose. Her face looked pale.

"You okay?" Elena immediately asked.

Lori closed her eyes, taking in even breaths through her mouth and nodded her head slowly. Her nodding turned to shaking her head from side to side fast. She stood up abruptly, running off to the side, far enough. The groups face were all identical in a grimace when they heard the wrenching.

"Elena, take care of this?" Carol asked her, handing her the pan of meat.

Elena nodded and grabbed the handle as Carol stood up, walking toward Lori.

"Poor, Lori," Maggie uttered. "Can't be easy."

Elena shook her head in agreement and continued to cook the meat, remembering Lori telling her that she could handle the smell of meat now. Clearly that wasn't true. After a few minutes, Lori and Carol returned back, Lori wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

"Sorry," she spoke softly.

Maggie immediately grabbed a bottle of water and handed it to her and Lori took it with a soft smile. Elena lent back the pan to Carol when she returned back to her seat. Beth started to grab the plastic plates. Carol began organizing the food, cutting the raccoon carcass into even pieces with a side of beans. The plates were being passed around, Elena taking hers, immediately picking at the beans and eating.

It wasn't as great as her mom use to cook them, but Elena found that she didn't care.

"Elena, can you give this one to Daryl, otherwise he won't eat himself," Carol said, handing her another plate of food. There was a smile on her face, one all knowing.

Elena licked her fingers, before grabbing the plate and also picking up hers. She might as well feast with him also.

Daryl was sitting away from the others, something he did from time to time. To get away, have a moment to himself. He was wiping his arrows clean from the tissue and blood that they gained earlier with his red handkerchief. His eyes lifted to hers as she approached, then settled on the plate in her hands. Elena offered it to him. Daryl placed the arrow he was cleaning to his side, wiping his hands with the clean part of the handkerchief before taking the plate. Elena moved, sitting down at his side, placing her plate in her lap.

Elena picked at the raccoon meat, ripping a piece from the bone then took it with her teeth. She let the taste of it linger on her tongue before she began chewing. "Huh."

"What?" Daryl asked, peering at her.

"It's actually not bad," she replied.

Daryl blew from his nose, a short indication of a laugh. "Course it ain't. S'like squirrel jus' more meat."

"Touche." Elena took another bite. She looked over at Daryl then down toward the poncho he was wearing that she had given him. She brought a hand to it, her fingers momentarily rubbing at the soft fabric.

Daryl's eyes were on her hand. "It's warm..."

She looked up at him, a grin tugging at the corner of her lips. "I asked you if you'd wear something like this and you blew me off."

"Didn't say nothin'."

When he looked away, Elena's grin grew, noticing the slight embarrassment that had been on his face.

"Never seen how red your face can get." She repeated the same words he had said to her the day she hadn't been able to aim at the walker, missing it with two rounds and embarrassing herself in front of Daryl when he took it down with an arrow.

"Shut up." His reply was quick but didn't sound irritated in the least. He looked at her then, a small smirk on his lips and Elena couldn't help but laugh a little.

Elena stopped, the laughter bringing a little pinch of pain to her side. She held her hand against it consciously. Daryl was watching her, his eyes lowering to grip on her ribs.

She smiled at him. "I forget about it sometimes."

"Could get that cream," he inquired, bringing another piece of meat to his lips.

Elena shook her head. "No, it's fine. Better I start getting use to the pain anyway until it fully heals."

Daryl gave a short nod.

Elena finished up up what was on her plate, taking Daryl's also where he left it near his boots to continue cleaning his arrows. She stood up.

From the corner of his eye Daryl was watching her, his hand cleaning his arrow slowing. She never lingered around him, always knowing that he liked his space. But this time, a part of Daryl wanted her to stay with him, maybe just a bit longer. Talking to her was easy and he never needed to force it. Something about her presence was inviting and always put Daryl at ease. Well, that was until she had her ways of making him uncomfortable, such as pointing out the poncho. When she first suggested it to him, Daryl didn't think twice about it. It wasn't exactly something he would pick up himself and think: yeah he'd definitely wear that. But Daryl found himself always seeing it in his bag, always coaxing him to wear it. He gave in, tried it on a day it was colder than most. The fabric of it was warm and soft to the touch, and it smelled like her. Of course, now that it had been with him a while, the scent of her was gone but Elena had been right, as much as Daryl denied it, it suited him somehow. Partly, Daryl wondered if the reason he wore it was because she had given it to him. A gift. When was the last time he ever received one?

Daryl shook his head, going back to cleaning the blood residue that had gotten onto the feathers at the end of his arrow.

She was one hell of a distraction.

* * *

"Hey, Carl," Elena called out, walking up behind Rick and his son, who were standing a little off away from the campfire and others. They were staring out into the forest, keeping their eyes open for possible stragglers she assumed.

Carl turned at her voice, his face in mild curiosity. She clenched the chocolate bar in her hand, lending it toward him. "When's the last time you had one of these?"

After leaving Daryl alone and going back to the others, Elena had rummaged through her backpack for her sweater considering the sun was beginning to set and the heat from the ember wasn't doing much to warm her up. She found the bars of candy she had forgotten she taken from the gas station when her and Daryl were looking for coolant for the Chevy Suburban when the engine had overheated.

Carl's face lightened up, reaching to take it but stopped. He looked over to his father, as if searching for permission. Rick gave him a short smile and a nod. Carl took the bar.

"Thanks."

Elena smiled in response, unwrapping the bar she had. She couldn't resist having one herself. Before she took a bite, she looked over to Rick, gesturing the bar to him. He lifted his hand and shook his head, a polite refusal.

"How's it looking for tonight?" she asked him, nodding her head toward the woods.

"Good. Haven't seen anythin' out there. We can rest here for the night."

"I was thinking," Elena began, a little self-conscious about the suggestion she was about to offer, "that maybe I can help out with keeping watch during the night. Give Glenn, Daryl, T-Dog, you—whoever is off shift some extra time to sleep."

Elena wasn't sure if Rick would agree to it. Keeping watch at night was a one man job, even if there were now usually two of the men who watched on either end of the cars. The job was meant for the individual to take on any roamers that happened to make their way on the road and put them down quietly. Although Elena was capable, she had always only helped take down walkers within a group, never on her own. This didn't mean she hadn't done it before, considering when she had been with Toni and Amelia, getting in and out quietly through stores had been her personal job and often times she had to kill in order to do said job. However, Elena was now under Rick's leadership and she'd never initiate a decision unless she had his consent. And it was at that point did Elena realized she was now looking up to Rick, like she had once done with Toni.

Rick looked at her, his eyes thoughtful.

"I figured since I stay up most of the night anyway, thought I might as well take a shift. I mean, after my ribs heal of course," she added.

Rick was nodding his head to her words. "I'll think about it."

"Can I keep watch too?" Carl asked, looking up at his father.

"You," Elena began, placing her hand atop his hat, "need the sleep to grow, so you can be taller than me."

"You're not _that_ tall," he remarked, his lips pursed.

"Still taller than you, little man."

Carl smiled at the tone of her voice, a mocking tease. He then looked over at his father expectantly, waiting for an answer to his question.

Rick stared at him for a moment, his eyes slowly softening before he placed an affectionate hand on his shoulder. "We don't need to worry your mother anymore than we already have."

Elena smiled at his words that sounded completely sincere. Carl was reluctant before he nodded his head in silent agreement. Elena watched Rick and his eyes met hers momentarily. And she saw the understanding they had, an understanding to her words before explaining to him that Lori was just a frightened mother looking after her son. Rick appeared to finally acknowledge that.

When he looked away from her, back to the forest, Elena knew now why Lori's and Rick's relationship had always had a thought in her mind. They reminded her of her parents. Very much so. Maria and John Lima never exactly won the greatest couple award. As a little girl, Elena only ever experienced them fighting very often, whether it be about their expenses and or how to raise their daughters. Their household was their battlefield of disagreements and misunderstandings toward one another. Elena assumed the only reason they stayed together so long through her adolescents was because of her and her sister. But as her and Amelia grew more independent, the force of staying together deteriorated and Elena's mother finally made the decision of filing for a divorce, which had been a mutual agreement for both of them. The first decision they actually agreed on, as sad as it was.

Elena did debate against the divorce immediately, after all their only problem was communication, which can be fixed coupled with patience and sheer will. Her sister, Amelia, however was all for it. It could be because her sister and father had a tendency to butt heads and she was always on their mothers side. But their father wasn't always on the wrong. This was partly the reason Amelia and her didn't get along very well. Fortunately, the space from each other was what Elena's mother and father needed to rekindle their relationship, that although they fought, it was only their way of showing how strongly they felt for each other. And to Amelia's dismay, they decided to give the other another try, remarrying and moving out of America to a less demanding lifestyle. As Elena expected, all they needed was time and she supposed the same thing could be said for both Lori and Rick.

* * *

Daryl exhaled, his breath turning into a puff of steam when it hit the air. It was especially cold that night. He gathered a few steps ahead of him, scanning through the dark at the trees and road. It was quiet and empty, the group sleeping in the vehicles were safe for now. Daryl rolled his neck, slowly pacing and adjusting his crossbow in his hands, the weight of it suddenly causing a kink in his arms. He lowered the weapon, trying to get the feeling back in his left hand. He lowered his eyes to the ground, looking down to his boots as he took each step.

His shift felt like it was taking forever. Daryl didn't mind staying up the night on watch for walkers, but the stretch of silence always made the time go by so much more slower and sometimes he'd hope to hear a little noise, some indication of excitement just to kill his time before he can go off and catch a few hours of sleep when T-Dog takes his shift.

But with the cold temperature and being deep in the boonies, walkers didn't normally shamble about nearby. Maybe there would be some occurrences but not very many.

Daryl sighed, fixing the poncho over his shoulders as to block the cold from touching him. He then perked up at the sound of footsteps, his back straightened. He held tight his crossbow, taking a step back to turn. His composure loosened in that instant, and he stood there as Elena came striding toward him. Her arms were wrapped around her, her expression looking troubled but a weak smile was still on her lips nonetheless. When she reached his side, Daryl could still see the sleep in her eyes that she had just woken up from.

"Sorry, just..." She made an attempt to explain herself but trailed off, knowing that Daryl already knew why she was awake.

Another nightmare.

He nodded in understanding, looking back at the road. Elena took a step closer to him, her arm brushing against his and when he felt the light shudder from her, he assumed she was subconsciously looking for body heat. Daryl stayed where he was, allowing her to be close, the sudden action making him strangely calmer.

"I thought they would have gotten better now. I guess that's just wishful thinking," she whispered.

"What're they 'bout?" Daryl asked the question without looking at her, his voice low and with indifference. But in all honesty, Daryl did want to know what she was dreaming. What the hell was keeping her up at night? What caused her to pull away from him before?

Elena was silent for a long time and Daryl could see from the corner of his eye she was chewing on her lower lip nervously. The nightmare was probably still fresh in her mind.

"This one was about Toni," she answered after a moment and inhaled. "Toni turning into a walker, but Rick isn't the one that kills him. I have to. And I can't pull the trigger."

Daryl could hear the weakness in her voice, her words slightly cracking by the end. She sniffed, and blinked a couple of times and her shoulders shrugged.

"It's a stupid dream."

"Was that the same one before?" he asked.

Elena met his eyes and her brows furrowed, her eyes troubled again. "No."

Daryl wanted to push, curious about the dream that caused such fear in her eyes before, but he decided against it. She pulled away last time, if he asked about it more she might do it again.

"I'm beginning to think sleeping pills is a good idea," she said. However, the seriousness was gone from her face and she was smiling. An expression that Daryl thought suited her a lot better.

"An' if a herd rolls in?" he inquired. "Gonna be too messed up to fight."

"I'll be too drugged to care if they attacked me." She said it jokingly, her mood lightening up.

"Ain't gonna let that happen."

Daryl said it before he even thought and Elena looked at him. Daryl unconsciously swallowed, the look she gave him making him suddenly uncomfortable. Nervous.

She placed her hand on his arm and gave him a gentle squeeze. Daryl had the sudden urge to grab her, touch her. Do things that they barely ever had the privacy or time to do. His eyes were on hers and Elena's switched between them, her gaze questioning. Her sight then lowered for a second, but when she returned her eyes on his again, there was something there. Elena was suddenly closer to him, and he felt the breeze of her breath on his face before she closed the gap between them. Her lips were soft to the touch, light against his. But it wasn't enough. Daryl finally closed his eyes, his mouth taking hers, his force a little bit stronger, wanting to completely taste her.

There was just something about her, something that always made his self-control snap, and his body crave her. He just couldn't take the initiative, to start something like this even though he yearned it, so he was fortunate that she did. Daryl grabbed her hip with his left hand, pressing her against him. Her hands were already threading into his hair and Daryl moved, sliding his tongue past her lips, the tip touching hers. In that moment, Elena's lips moved faster and Daryl felt heat go through him. He clenched her, adjusting the crossbow in his right hand further behind him so he could feel her entire frame against him, the poncho suddenly a nuisance in between.

Elena then ripped her lips away from him, taking in a breath, not giving Daryl time to react before she connected to him again. Then, he heard a growl.

Wait. Was that from her?

Elena suddenly pulled away from him, her fingers in his hair gone also and her eyes were no longer on him. Daryl, for a second tensed at her sudden withdrawal, but followed her eyes in the direction she was looking. He heard a shuffling of feet and a silhouette of a figure approaching, the shape that of a woman. She snarled, the sound carrying toward Daryl and he immediately lifted his crossbow, his body hunched in a readied position as he stepped in front of Elena. The figure hissed, each step it took harder than the last, its arms swinging in reach toward him. Daryl sucked in a breath to steady his aim and pulled the trigger. The arrow pierced with a splat through the walkers eye cavity, the force causing its head to whip backward before it dropped to it's knees and fell forward, the arrow sinking in deeper through to the back of its head.

Peering his eyes in search for another walker, Daryl then exhaled, the night quiet again. He looked back toward Elena, who stood a foot away from him, her knife drawn in her hand, blade out. He could see her pants coming out fast in the cold air.

Elena sighed, flicking the blade back into the handle and shoving it in her pocket. Daryl walked toward the body, bending to retrieve his arrow. He laid the cocking stirrup of his crossbow against the floor, the stock between his legs as he pulled the string back behind the latch, reloading the arrow back in place.

Elena was near the body, nodding her head toward it. Throwing his crossbow over his shoulder, Daryl bent with her, both grabbing the body by either end to throw it to the side, away from the road. When they dropped it, Daryl gazed back toward her. He could still feel her heat against him, but he supposed the moment already had passed. And he felt annoyed.

"Not exactly the best time for this," Elena whispered, mostly to herself. Her face was still flushed.

Elena's lips curved and Daryl had to stop himself from wanting to taste them again. After all, he needed to restrain himself sometimes.

"I'm gonna head back," she said. "Goodnight, Daryl." She took a step toward him, leaning up and kissing the corner of his mouth. And then she turned away, walking back toward the vehicles.

Daryl watched her, having not realized he still hadn't been able to catch his breath. He saw her head turn, her eyes looking back at him, something flashing over them before she turned away, back to the Dodge Ram.

Daryl let out an an exasperated breath, kicking his foot against the body of the dead walker in mild frustration. Hell, if his night wasn't going to feel any longer now.


	17. Chapter 17

**Welp, this chapter was a doozy. Emotionally exhausting I think. And I know guys, the sexual frustration between Elena/Daryl is just killing you. It's killing me too! But my brain keeps saying that they're not ready yet, and for the sake of being rational, I'll listen to my instincts :P. Physically they're there but emotional...Hell naw! Anyway, I stayed up way too long to get this finished for you guys. Hope you like.**

**Was listening to '****_Civilian_****' by Wye Oak while writing this. It featured in the season 2 of the Walking Dead...but man, the lyrics have everything to do with this chapter.**

**I take no credit in characters with an exception to my OC's.**

* * *

"Ready?"

Rick was staring at Elena, his eyes hard and steady. She nodded her head, exhaling and loosened her legs to prepare herself for what she was about to do. She looked over her shoulder at Glenn, who gave her a nod. Her eyes shifted toward Daryl at her side. His eyes were narrowed and his jaw tight. She tried to give him a reassuring smile, but his expression didn't change.

He didn't like this idea, and he expressed that firmly to her. But Elena needed to do this.

Rick stepped in front, taking the bolt cutters and snapping the lock that held the fence gate locked. He then held onto the gate, lifting his hand, signalling for Glenn and her to hold their position. He began counting with his fingers slowly.

When his third finger lifted, Rick opened up the gate and Elena and Glenn spurted forward, Rick closing it firmly behind them. Elena led the way, jogging low toward the wall of the small warehouse to her left, Glenn following after. She flattened herself against the wall, her knife tight in her right hand. She didn't want to bring her crowbar for this. She needed a weapon that would pierce through the walkers' brains fast and with little force than what her crowbar needed. Plus, the gutting knife took less strength in her arms, which would keep the pressure on her ribs low. She had put on the muscle numbing cream earlier anyway, just in case. She didn't want to take any chances with her injury because she knew if she slipped up in anyway it could mean game over.

Catching her breath, she looked over at Glenn for a moment and started taking slow steps, keeping her back adjacent to the wall. She bent when she neared the corner and peered over, scanning the area. She took in the location, counting off the walkers that shuffled along the parking lot. She pulled back behind cover, her eyes on Glenn.

"Eleven," she whispered to him.

He was nodding his head fast, sweat already trickling down his brow. She didn't blame him, she was nervous too. Glenn placed his hand on her arm, jerking his finger toward the dumpster that lay on its side, several feet ahead of them. She gave him a nod in agreement, looking back out of the corner. She lifted her hand holding her knife up, her thumb wrapped around the handle but her fingers straight up in the air, giving him the sign to wait. She watched the movements of the walkers, their steps slow and lazy. When the one closest shifted, turning its back toward them, Elena signalled for Glenn to go. He jogged, each fast step he took longer than the last, his body hunched over, as hidden as he could make himself out in the open.

Elena waited until he made it behind the dumpster. She stayed where she was for a minute, to see whether his presence had alerted any of the other walkers. It hadn't. Elena steadied herself and jumped forward, her footsteps against the pavement as quiet as she could make them. When she reached Glenn's side, he looked out over their cover.

"There's more," he told her, "over the other side of the fence."

"Shit," Elena cussed.

"They're far from the trucks though. The ones that you spotted are the ones we got to worry about."

"You sure?"

"Positive." Glenn bent back beside her, his eyes on hers. "We gotta be quick."

Elena agreed with his statement and he looked over her shoulder, back at Rick, Daryl and T-Dog and gave them a thumbs up, telling them the plan was still good.

Rick saw the signal and blew out a small breath of relief.

"Dunno 'bout this," Daryl uttered beside him, his shoulders tense. "Should be in there with 'em."

Rick looked over to him. Daryl's eyes were set on the two still behind the dumpster waiting for an opportunity to continue on. "They're the fastest," Rick explained. "They can quickly check in, see if the trailers are empty or not. They'll be fine."

"She ain't exactly fully _healed_." Daryl peered back to him.

Rick watched him for a moment, seeing a strange protectiveness in his eyes that he hadn't seen in the hunter before. There was also a hint of passive aggression.

"Glenn is with her. The two of them can sneak in faster and quieter than with all of us together." Rick's voice was huskier than he meant it to be, finalizing his words as if it weren't up for debate. In a sense it wasn't, the plan was already in motion, it was too late to pull back from it now.

Daryl exhaled through his nose, with frustration or agitation. Rick wasn't sure. He looked back toward Elena and Glenn, who looked just about ready to infiltrate further on.

Glenn was still looking out, waiting for one of the walkers to take a few steps away so they could move on toward the cab of the nearest tractor trailer.

"Once we open the trailers," Elena said to him quietly, "the noise will attract them."

"Yeah. Rick said if we get cornered to whistle, use our guns if we need to." Glenn looked back at her and gestured his head forward. "C'mon."

Elena moved, close to Glenn toward the side of the truck's cab, keeping her eyes on the walkers that were nearby. But their movements were sluggish, no indication that they had noticed them yet. Hidden behind the cab, Glenn inhaled deeply beside her. He started making his way down along side the trailer, about to look around the corner to scout for more walkers when he suddenly jumped back. Elena bumped hard against his back, forced backwards when he began backing up.

A walker then stepped around the corner. It hissed, its jaws gaping, nothing but bone and ripped skin. It lifted its thin arms, reaching out. Glenn jumped forward, grabbing the walker by the collar, slamming its back as quietly as he could against the trailer and drove the blade of his Parang knife against its skull and into the frontal lobe of its brain. He closed his eyes when the blood spat into the face, loosening his grip on the walker and lowering it quietly on the pavement when it went limp. He gazed back at Elena, an accomplished half smile on his lips before wiping the blood from his cheek with the back of his sleeve.

Elena's eyes widened.

She pulled at Glenn's shoulder, almost using him as leverage as she charged. The walker that had tried to reach behind him snapped at her, trying to grab her when she approached closer to it. She stabbed her knife straight up its jaw, the tip of the blade sinking deep through. She pulled it back, the curved part of the blade at the tip ripping through the muscle tissue. She held the dead weight of the walker, having more difficulty than Glenn had with the other, a dull pain spreading on her lower ribs. But Glenn was there, helping her lower the body to the floor.

He stepped over it, looking around the corner like he meant to before. He waved to Elena, telling her the coast was clear. They moved around the corner to the back of the trailer. Glenn handed her his Parang and unlatched the door. Elena stood ahead, watching the backside when she heard him swing the door open, the door lifting automatically to the roof of the trailer with a clatter.

Glenn sighed. "Damnit."

Elena turned at the disappointment in his voice seeing the trailer of the truck completely empty. She handed him back the Parang.

"There's three more trailers. We'll find something," she reassured.

Then, they heard the staggering of feet.

"C'mon." Elena nudged his arm.

They ran, moving back along the trailer and to the cab. Elena froze, ducking behind the wheel of the truck when she spotted a couple of walkers already making their way down the other side of the trailer. Luckily the noise had distracted the few, leaving them an open path to the other set of parked trucks. They moved around the front of the truck and around the other side of it where they could see the backs of the walkers.

The two of them jogged across, to the next truck. Elena crouched down, peering underneath the trailer for the walkers' feet. Four of them had stumbled past toward the back of the trailer where Glenn and Elena had been seconds ago, swaggering there as if lost.

Elena looked back at Glenn, placing her finger against her lips for silence and took long strides to the end of the trailer. She flattened her back against it and waited, hearing the faint dragging of feet on the pavement behind her. Her heart was beating quick, the adrenaline pumping, flowing through her veins. She then heard a set of footsteps becoming louder and closer. She slowly stood up from her crouched position, flipping her knife in her hand so her blade was pointed downward. When the walker staggered passed, Elena jumped it, stabbing the knife to the back of its head. Glenn immediately stepped in, pulling the body back behind cover and lowering it beside him. Elena exhaled, her breathing harsh. She looked around the corner again, seeing the walkers finally moving on, away from view.

"Okay, we're good."

Glenn walked ahead as Elena pulled her knife out from the dead walker's skull. He moved behind the trailer and his expression fell in that instant. The door to the trailer was already open and the only thing left in it were remnants of broken boxes. Glenn ran his hand through his hair.

"Is there any point in looking in the others?"

Glenn was looking at her, frowning. Elena looked back into the trailer, wiping the sweat off her forehead.

"Better we make sure before we go back to Rick empty handed."

Glenn pursed his lips for a second before he nodded his head.

* * *

"I don't see them," T-Dog said, trying to gaze pass the fence, analyzing over the parked trucks, but he couldn't see behind the trailers.

Daryl tried to look through the gap underneath the trailers, maybe to catch a glimpse of Elena's boots and Glenn's running shoes, but the way the trucks were parked, the tires were blocking his view. And this bothered him.

He could still see live walkers walking out of the narrow gaps between the trucks. But no sign of either of them.

"They'd signal us if anythin' went wrong," Rick replied, also trying to search for them. "Give them time."

Daryl gritted his teeth, his patience wearing thin. This was such a stupid idea. Hell, they didn't know if anything would even be in those trailers. They were risking their lives for nothing, for some stupid suicide run. _Again_. Well, maybe it wasn't the same case as it had been in the retail store when Elena and Glenn ran off the first time. This was actually a thought through plan, one that Daryl wanted to fight like hell against. They didn't know how many walkers were behind the fence. It was like sheep jumping into a lion's den. So many things could go wrong. Daryl didn't give a shit how fast Rick thought they were. He rather be in there with Elena. At least then he'd know she was okay. But now he couldn't, he couldn't see her and it was driving him nuts. Stupid woman, what was she getting herself into? Her bruised ribs weren't even fully healed yet.

When they spotted the warehouse on the road with the abandoned tractor trailers, Rick thought it be best that they checked them for supplies, only finding out that the parking lot wasn't completely abandoned itself. They couldn't risk the group going in to the infested lot if there was more of them, not for some trailers that may or may not have something. But when Glenn and Elena suggested the idea that they make a stealth run, to only check if the trailers were worth their while, Rick agreed to it. Out of all people Daryl thought Rick would argue over the idea with him. But he didn't. Instead he already started formulating a strategy for Elena and Glenn to get in quietly, like the plan was already decided. Of course, Rick now always had final say, and Daryl never found reason enough to disagree over his ideas and decisions. But this time he did, because _she_ was in there. In the danger. Without him.

He shouldn't even be worried about her. Hell, this was her damn choice and she ignored his warning. If she worsened her ribs than Daryl had the right to say 'I told you so'. And if something worse happened to her? Daryl didn't want to think about that.

* * *

"_Empty_."

Glenn's voice was filled with anger and mental exertion. They had reached the last trailer and it was just like the others. _Vacant_. Nothing left in them. No food, no supplies. Nothing. Elena lifted her fist, her knuckles pressed over her mouth to stop herself from wanting to curse. It was a dead end. She thought seeing these supply trucks would be a godsend, but there was absolutely nothing in them. A pointless endeavour. Both her and Glenn had wasted energy to infiltrate the infested parking lot, and for what?

"Hey," Glenn nudged her arm, his eyes shamed, "we should get back."

"Yeah."

Elena's answer was uncommitted. But Glenn stepped backward anyway, heading around the trailer. She made a move to follow, her eyes for a second scanning across the rest of the parking lot. She stopped walking then.

"Elena," Glenn called out to her quietly. He went to her side, seeing her frozen in her place. "Let's go. There's nothing here."

"No, Glenn, _look_."

Glenn furrowed his brow before shifting over to the direction her eyes were on. His mouth gaped open then.

Across from them, ten yards ahead at the end of the parking lot, was another tractor trailer, parked beside a small building, the end of the trailer facing at an angle toward them. But the door was half open, and from the distance they could see boxes stacked. And the most hopeful sight, the one that had gotten Elena's attention in the first place was the graphic text written on the side of the trailer.

GOOD SHEPARD

FOOD-BANK

_Delivering food to neighbours in need._

Glenn exchanged a look with Elena, both with hopeful expressions.

"We'll be running in the open," Glenn whispered, knowing exactly what their plan was going to be.

"Those boxes could be filled. That whole trailer could be." Elena brought her eyes back to it. "If we could make sure, we can run back to Rick and tell him."

Glenn was nodding his head. "You ready for this then?"

"Definitely."

Glenn moved around the empty trailer they stood behind, looking back at the roaming walkers. There was a large set of them, the ones they killed not having made a dent in their numbers. But Elena and him were faster, smarter. They could do this.

Glenn looked back at Elena, giving her a thumbs up. Elena bounced on her toes, readying herself and they ran, out of cover and out into the open. With their heavy movements caused by their speed, their hard steps carried toward the walkers nearby, and they turned, catching a glimpse of two of them. The walkers moaned, hissed, growled and began shuffling toward them.

Elena looked back briefly but there was a fair distance between them. And they had at least ten seconds to check the trailer before the walkers would be able to close in. Glenn was moving quick beside her and through each pant, a smile was still tugging at the corner of their lips, as they neared the trailer.

Then, she saw movement.

Elena attempted to slow down, the soles of her boots scrapping hard against the pavement. She grabbed Glenn in that instant before he ran passed her.

Walkers were beginning to materialize from behind and underneath the trailer, from behind the building. They snapped their jaws, their groans sounding simultaneously. They moved side by side like a marching army and with a lurching purpose. To catch the fresh human meat that had disturbed their territory.

Elena looked back quickly, seeing the other walkers, the ones she had spotted earlier and their reinforcements that Glenn had mentioned that were no longer standing by the other side of the fence. They were all gathered, spread out from each other, corning them at every angle. Elena and Glenn stood back to back, their blades ready at their side.

"We need to signal Rick," Glenn told her, his voice in slight panic.

"The noise will attract even more," she replied.

"We don't have a choice. We're stuck."

Elena pondered for a minute, staring at the coming throng of walkers, the smell of the dead hitting her nostrils making her stomach constrict suddenly.

"_Elena_."

Finally inhaling, Elena curled her fingers against her tongue and whistled the loudest pitch she could muster.

* * *

Daryl was pacing but when he heard the sudden moans and groans from the walkers becoming more prominent and with a little more life than usual, he stopped. He walked closer to the fence beside T-Dog and looked into the parking lot. The walkers were coming in his view and disappearing behind the tractor trailers, one after another, their attention caught on something. The pace of his heartbeat gradually got faster, his left hand tight on the wiring of the fence, his knuckles going white. T-Dog and Rick were there beside him, seeing the commotion the walkers caused and their faces went grave. Daryl took a step back.

"_Wait_," Rick said suddenly. "They'll signal us."

"What if they're already in trouble?" T-Dog asked.

"If they're not, we'll be blowin' their cover. Be patient. They know what they're doin'."

Daryl opened his mouth to say something.

What a hunk of horseshit. Something was definitely wrong.

A whistle then echoed through the parking lot.

The noise hit his ears hard, an instant distress call. Daryl's heart was now beating harder, the adrenaline pumping heat through his body. He bolted, running toward the fence door, swinging it open so hard it bounced with a clatter against the fence. He was already reaching the tractor trailers when he heard Rick call out behind him. They were running too, having heard the alarmed whistle. Daryl sped up as fast as he could, reaching up behind a walker in the gap between the trailers. He pulled his knife out and jumped it, stabbing the back of its head. He ripped the blade out and continued running. He stepped out into the opening. He heard the loud pops of gunfire ahead of him, and through the narrow gaps between the walkers, he could see in the distance Elena and Glenn, tight together, like trapped animals.

Elena aimed at another walker and pulled the trigger, the bullet hitting straight through its skull, forcing the body backward. Glenn was beside her, his gun aimed out also.

"Glenn! Elena!"

She turned at the sound of Rick's voice, their backup coming in like trusty steeds, their guns drawn, firing at the ensemble of walkers in front of them. One by one the walkers fell, dropping like flies. She brought her eyes toward the Food Bank truck, the walkers from that direction approaching, but there was less of them. Just enough to take out and run passed.

"Let's go!" Rick was shouting, waving at them.

Glenn looked back at the Elena, then to the direction she was looking at.

Elena didn't hesitate, she stepped forward, lifting her gun and fired. She took down a couple of walkers, the sting of the recoil nothing but a nudge in her arms as she advanced.

They needed to get to that trailer, they needed know if food was in there. If there was any possibility that the trailer hadn't been touched by scavengers, then there would be enough food in there to last the group the winter, maybe even longer.

When Elena pointed the barrel of her gun toward another walker, she saw an arrow fly past her, penetrating deep in the eye socket of a walker that had been reaching to her right. Elena looked back at Daryl momentarily, who was jerking his head, motioning for her to retreat with them. But she didn't. Instead she ran ahead toward the trailer, aiming her gun and firing at every coming walker, her aim a lot more practised now and accurate.

"Elena, c'mon!" Glenn was shouting at her, grabbing her arm.

"The trailer!" she yelled back. "Food could be in there!"

Glenn took a moment, but Elena didn't wait for an answer. She was able to pull out of his grasp, running back into the direction toward the trailer.

"Where she _goin'_?" Daryl asked out impatiently, seeing her run off.

Elena continued even though she heard Daryl yelling out her name behind her. She made a reach for the trailer door when a walker came at her side, its jaws leaning forward. It made a grunt suddenly and Elena stared at it, the end of an arrow protruding from its head before it fell.

"Elena!"

She grabbed the nearest box from inside the trailer quickly, the weight of it lighter than it should be. She pulled it back and it fell to the pavement, empty. Elena shook her head grabbing another, than another. Each one empty. The stacks of boxes nothing but an illusion. A lie.

"_Let's go_!" Daryl then grabbed her, shoving her back a bit more forcefully than usual.

Elena took a few steps, looking back at the trailer before she turned away and ran in stride with Rick and T-Dog, Glenn giving her a look of remorse, running along with her. They made their way across the parking lot, the few walkers following behind them but too slow to keep up. The group slowed when they reached the fence, kicking the door open and making their way back onto the road, to the vehicles that they had parked off into the distance with the rest of the others.

Elena was panting now, the exertion a little more than she had prepared herself for and the expansion of her lungs taking in the oxygen she had lost was beginning to bring pressure against the muscles around her ribs, the numbing cream no longer able to make the ache tolerable. She held her side, the action making her unconsciously believe that it would ease the pain and allow her to be able to walk as briskly as the others.

"You're a real piece of work, riskin' yer life for some _empty_ boxes."

Elena stopped, turning to Daryl. His eyes were on hers, glaring and the muscle in his jaw tightened. For a second his eyes moved toward her hand on her side and she dropped it automatically, suddenly not wanting to look weak in front of him. She didn't want to give Daryl the satisfaction that he was right, that this plan was going to hurt her far worse than she was. But the anger in his eyes had already settled, and she supposed she should have been ready for it, especially after her stunt in reaching the trailer rather than retreating like she was told to.

"How was I suppose to know they were empty?"

Daryl took a step toward her, leaning his face near hers. "This was yer idea!"

"It wasn't just hers, we all planned this," Glenn said, stepping in.

Daryl scoffed. "Yeah, lotta good that did."

His terse eyes were still on her and Elena felt her temper rise, which didn't happen often.

Why the hell was he blaming her?

"That truck was from a food charity. I had to make sure if there was anything in there. Better that we know it was empty, than not knowing at all."

"An' what?" His voice was rough and husky. "Push yerself to get hurt in the process?"

"I'm fine, Daryl."

"An' if ya weren't, it ain't gonna be _my_ problem!"

Rick then stepped between them, the angry sparks flying. "We don't have time for this," he said through clenched teeth, his eyes hard on either of them.

Daryl narrowed his gaze on Elena before leaning back and stepping around her, walking ahead. Elena exhaled the breath she didn't realize she was holding, the anger from Daryl suddenly causing a nervous tension on her. He was mad at her, like he had been at the retail store. But somehow it seemed worse.

T-Dog moved toward her, nudging her arm. She followed after him, staring into Daryl's back the entire walk back to the vehicles.

* * *

Elena had been biding her time, waiting for Rick to signal for a break on the road. They had been at it for hours and it did enough to ease out her temper. However, Daryl's words still kept repeating in her head.

Daryl was angry at her, that was clear. And she knew why, because the way he acted was nearly the same reaction at the retail store. Daryl had his own way of expressing how he felt and it was usually through impatience and frustration, things that Elena couldn't say she was use to dealing with in past relationships. Impatience may have been one of them but Daryl was on a whole different playing field and Elena felt like she had to go about him a certain way, like she had to tread carefully around him. Elena had been patient with him, she really had and sometimes that patience could only go so far.

It was apparent that emotionally the pair were on different steps of the ladder. Elena had no fear in expressing how she felt, she never really did. It was a strong part of her personality that either caused fights or created a temporary peace treaty. But everything was different when it came down to Daryl Dixon. Sometimes Elena wondered how separate they really were as people, that had it not been for the end of the world if there was ever a chance they would even have met and developed the friendship that they did. They came from two different households, were raised up differently and practically grew up in two different worlds.

This was something that Elena wouldn't deny. They were different. And maybe if nothing had happened to Toni at all, there could have been a possibility that her and Daryl would have never gotten together as they did. After losing Toni, Elena had lost the last thing that tied her to her past, the last person she _knew_. And that was something that was hard to live without. How could she possibly make it without him? But Daryl had been there, as if he knew that she needed something—_anything _that would give her reason to continue. And she supposed that's where their bond started.

Elena was devastated and broken then, damaged to say the least. You can't just come out watching the last of your family die in your hands—blood or not—and come out of that with a clean head. She didn't. She had nightmares devouring every ounce of her sanity through the nights, taking away the last bit of peace she could have. Sleep. And the only person that had been able calm her down afterwards at times was Daryl. With an exception to how she reacted after having the dream about him, and pulling away. To be fair, she hadn't had that dream before and having Daryl right there beside her as she woke had only worsen the moment. So far she hadn't had that dream again, and she was hoping she wouldn't because she knew if she did she would have to mention it to Daryl sooner or later. That wasn't something she could just keep bottled up and hidden. If anything it would probably make him understand more why she recoiled from him that night.

Despite that occurrence, any other time she had waken from a nightmare, she had always been able to turn to Daryl. Find him on watch, talk to him, let her feel safe in reality—as much as she could anyway. Daryl was always there. And times like these, when he pushed himself from her with anger and frustration, all Elena wanted to understand was why?

When Rick sounded his horn suddenly, Elena slowed down the Dodge Ram to a stop along the road with the others. She stepped out of the truck with T-Dog.

"Givin' us a ten minute rest for everyone," Rick said toward T-Dog and Glenn, who had jumped out of the Hyundai. "Glenn and I will take point."

Elena understood it as a ten minute washroom and snack break for those who needed it. She took a step back then as the group gathered, knowing that these ten minutes was the only window she would have right now. She pulled away from the others and searched for Daryl.

Daryl was bent over his brother's motorcycle, adjusting the arrows back in his crossbow quiver that had gotten out of place on the drive. He lifted his head momentarily, hearing footsteps approach, expecting Rick. When he saw Elena, he rolled his eyes, looking away in that instant and exhaling an exasperated breath in annoyance. Her presence had brought back his temper quickly and right now he needed space from her. She always had the ability built up strong emotions inside him, whether it be rage, frustration. And it pissed him off. Hell, why did she have the power to control how he felt? No one should, not Carol and definitely not _her_. He couldn't stand it.

Daryl didn't want her to go into that parking lot with Glenn from the beginning, he knew there would be nothing left in those tractor trailers and putting herself within the throng of walkers was the stupidest thing she could have done. Why? Because Daryl actually gave a shit about her well being. And such things like this was something that he was still trying to get accustomed to. But convincing her to not go had done nothing and because she had some strange sense to prove to Rick and the others that she wasn't weak, she jumped at the opportunity, making Daryl feel like his opinion on the matter meant nothing.

He could see from the corner of his eyes Elena was watching him, crossing her arms over her chest and Daryl's hands on his crossbow tightened. It didn't matter if he tried to ignore her, she wasn't leaving.

"Can we talk about this?"

"Ain't nothin' left to talk 'bout," he replied quickly. Daryl stood straight and looked at her then, his eyes narrowed with scrutiny. "I _told_ ya it was a bad idea."

Elena uncrossed her arms, keeping her eyes steady on his. "Glenn couldn't make that run on his own."

"You're still injured!"

"I bruised my ribs, Daryl, I didn't break my legs."

"Ain't the _point_." He took a step toward her, making the tension between them tighter. "Can't put yerself in danger jus' 'cause ya got somethin' to prove!"

"This isn't about proving myself," Elena said, her tone sounding exhausted.

Daryl leaned toward her, his hands balled into fists. "Then what, huh?"

She inhaled, her expression calm and all it did was agitate Daryl further.

"I understand why you're angry but you don't need to keep me protected and watch over me all the time."

"No, I _don'_."

"Then why are you blaming me on this?"

Elena furrowed her brow and Daryl sneered. If she didn't get it, he wasn't going to spell it out for her.

Daryl made a move to turn away and he felt a hand on his arm. "Help me understand."

He rounded on her then, the anger he tried to keep in check finally capping off on his self-control. "'Cause I don' need to worry 'bout ya! Then ya put yerself in these dumbass situations. Want to get yerself killed? _Fine_. I don' care!" He pulled away from her, ripping his arm from her grasp and shook his head. "I'm _done_."

Elena had taken a step from him, his sudden outburst striking her in awe. Daryl looked away, his jaw going taut.

"...Yeah, like you said, I'm not your _problem_."

Daryl shot his eyes to hers, the tone of her voice catching him off guard. And he froze. Elena had never looked at him that way, her eyes slightly glazed over, but angry, disappointed...

Hurt.

He exhaled suddenly, the anger he had disappearing in that instant. Elena shook her head, taking her eyes away from him and turned, walking away, leaving him.

_Shit_.

What the hell did he do?

* * *

"Ya alright?"

Elena turned her head and straightened up her position leaning against the Dodge Ram. Maggie was beside her, resting her shoulder against the cab of the truck, her head tilted at her and a sincere sad smile on her lips. Elena didn't reply, looking back to the ground and fidgeting with Toni's dog tags around her neck again.

Although she liked Maggie, Elena really needed time to herself right now. She needed to clear her head and stop thinking about what Daryl had said to her, and the way he had looked at her. Like he didn't care at all. In those few minutes she had walked away and left him, a rush of emotion had developed in her. It started off as being hurt, then upset, then angry. And now she was just confused. It always seemed like every time her and Daryl were getting along very well, something always happened and changed that.

"Glenn told me 'bout what happened between you and Daryl back at the warehouse," Maggie said quietly.

Elena exhaled a breath that was suppose to be a laugh, but she didn't have much energy to expel one. "Of course he did."

"He thought ya might need some girl talk."

A small smile found it's way on Elena's lips at that. "He's sweet."

"Did ya want to talk 'bout it?"

Elena returned her eyes on Maggie who's brows were lifted, waiting for an answer. She sighed. "I don't know what to do."

"How bad is it?"

"Pretty bad," she answered honestly. Maggie nodded her head in understanding. "Y'know, you think being in past relationships would give you some insight, some kind of idea as how to deal with guys, but..."

"Daryl ain't jus' any guy?"

Elena nodded. "I don't know what goes on in his head, and it's not like he lets me know."

"Maybe he was jus' worried 'bout you. Yer ribs ain't healed yet, right?"

Unconsciously Elena brought her hand to her ribs, the pain she had once experienced at the touch was now just a dull sting, barely anything to be concerned about. As long as she could concentration and properly steady her breathing, the pain was bearable.

"He can't expect me to stay behind all the time."

"I don' think that's why he was angry."

Bringing her eyes toward Maggie, Elena furrowed her brow.

"I don' know Daryl, definitely not as much as you do, but maybe he jus' don' wanna see ya hurt. Or worse."

Elena bit at her bottom lip in thought.

"_'Cause I don' need to worry 'bout ya! Then ya put yerself in these dumbass situations. Want to get yerself killed? Fine. I don' care!"_

Maybe Maggie was right, and maybe she wasn't. If Daryl had been worried about her, he had a strange way of showing it. Like being concerned for her was a problem for him, like she was a load of weight that he didn't want to carry. Elena never meant to be a burden, not to him, not to anyone. She could handle herself fine.

But one thing she knew that her stubbornness just wouldn't allow her to realize, especially not in front of Daryl, was her agreement to go with Glenn on that stealth run _was_ to prove—more to herself than anyone—that Elena wasn't weak.

Not like she use to be.

* * *

Carol was walking back from the forest with Beth, deciding to grab a snack to eat before they left again. Her stomach had gotten use to the days of less food but she made sure she had small portions every time they had a break, just to keep her body going in the demanding travels they were in. She walked across the Dodge Ram toward the Hyundai.

"I feel like sometimes Daryl loses his patience with me really fast."

Carol froze at the sound of Elena's voice. She could see through the windows, on the other side of the truck, Elena's back leaning against the cab and Maggie beside her.

"And if I so much as push, just so I could understand him, he pulls away."

Carol furrowed her brow but not from confusion. She knew exactly what Elena was talking about. And she also knew something had been up since the group came back from the warehouse. Daryl had this angry look on his face and Carol had seen Elena's eyes on him the entire walk back to the vehicles.

Carol continued her decent back to the Hyundai to grab some food from the back. She pulled out something for herself and something for Daryl. Normally, Carol would have given the snack to Elena for her to give to him, but she knew, whatever had happened, Elena wasn't going to do it, and that was fine by Carol, it gave her reason to go talk to him. Carol made her way back, behind the Dodge Ram and from the distance she could see Daryl far away from his bike, pacing at the middle of the road. She saw his head turn slightly, looking back, but not at her. Carol didn't have to look to know who he was staring at it. When Daryl's eyes shifted to Carol, his posture changed.

Reaching his side, Carol offered him a packet of roasted peanuts. He looked down to it, chewing the side of his cheek.

"Take it," Carol said with a sigh. "You haven't eaten anything this morning."

Carol sometimes watched Daryl's eating habits, making sure that he was taking care of himself as he should be. Now that he had a bigger role in the group Carol worried that he would forget about watching over himself, which should be his first priority. However, that morning when they found the warehouse and the parked tractor trailers and Rick started to strategize a plan, whatever the plan had been had made Daryl lose his appetite and not eat before they had left.

Daryl brushed her off. "Don' want it." His voice was low and quiet and he stepped away from her.

Carol followed. "What happened?"

He stopped walking, his back still facing her but she could see his head lower. Carol stepped closer to him.

"Something _did_ happen...between you and Elena."

When Carol spoke her name, Daryl's shoulders tensed up. He turned his head to her, his blue eyes glaring. "That ain't any of yer business."

Carol reached her hand toward him, then dropped it, instead shaking her head. She had seen the two get closer very discreetly. She assumed that their relationship wasn't something they wanted to share with the others. However, Carol saw it, they're actions toward one another meaning far deeper than they appeared. Daryl cared for her when Elena had bruised her ribs, always nearby when Hershel checked up on her for an update on the healing. And Elena spent time with him, keeping Daryl company during watch. This was all Carol had witnessed, whether there was more between them, she hadn't seen it. Either way, that she knew had nothing to do with her. She was happy for them. Happy for Daryl. For a man that kept himself closed off from the others, so distant away, especially to her sometimes, Carol could see slight change in him. Daryl made it seem like he didn't care majority of the time, but Carol knew he did, and with Elena, he didn't act like he didn't. He cared about her, she saw that.

But whatever had happened was concerning Carol. She didn't know whether Elena being in the group was the main reason he was still with them. Carol knew Daryl didn't need the group for survival, and if he wanted to he could up and leave any time he wanted. This scared her. She had lost her little girl, Sophia, and Carol knew that Daryl was the only person in the group that understood her more than anyone. He was the only one that helped her belong. She couldn't bare the thought of losing him, and if Elena was the only thing tying him down, Carol needed to keep that knot tied. She had told Elena not to hurt Daryl, because Daryl deserved so much. But she had forgotten that the chance of Daryl hurting her was possible too.

"Don't push away from her," she said to him, her eyes pleading. "Please."

Daryl turned to her, his brows furrowed. "Why does it matter to _you_?"

"Because it's the first time I've ever seen you care for something as much as you did for my Sophia."

He stared at her, his eyes narrowing and Carol saw a slight twitch in his jaw.

"She's good for you, Daryl, even if you don't see it."

Daryl exhaled, looking away. "I don' need this."

"You're scared of losing her, aren't you?"

"I ain't scared of nothin'."

"Stop pretending," Carol said suddenly, and stepped in front of him. She could see the agitation begin to settle in his stare. "How do you expect her to understand if you don't tell her?"

"Tell her _what_?"

"That you care about her."

Daryl leaned toward her, his gaze on her menacing now. "This ain't got nothin' to do with ya!" he yelled. "_Go_. Jus' leave me alone. Stick yer nose into someone else's business." He pulled away from her and turned, beginning to walk. "So tired of this shit."

Carol watched him go, a frown on her lips. She knew that the anger he demonstrated toward her wasn't meant for her at all. He could deny it, but that was Daryl yelling to himself, not her.

* * *

All day Elena didn't so much as breathe in his direction, not during their pit stops, not during lunch or dinner. She kept her eyes from him and Daryl had to fight the urge of getting angry at this. He caused it, he caused everything. He let his temper get the better of him, he was the one that caused the distance. As much as he wanted to blame her, he couldn't. Carol was right.

Carol always knew how to get under his skin, always knew how to push his buttons just to get an answer, a reaction from him, trying to get _something_ from Daryl. Why did she even care if anything had happened between Elena and him? Why did it even matter? What, was she afraid that he was going to take off if he pushed himself far enough from Elena that she would just give up on him?

...Would he take off?

Daryl hadn't thought about it before. What if things did go down? What if Elena decided that Daryl wasn't worth her time anymore—not that he ever had been—? What then? Could he really handle being near her knowing that he was the reason that he would never be able to touch her, talk to her like he use to? Knowing that there would always be awkward silence between them, knowing that he wouldn't have her company during watch anymore? Knowing that although he wanted her, nothing was ever going to happened between them?

Maybe Daryl was sexually frustrated, but that wasn't the stepping stool to his rage. Yes he wanted Elena and every time they itched closer there was always something that set them back, whether it be through interruptions or Daryl's thoughts that badgered him at times. Thoughts that told him that he needed to go slow, that he couldn't rush things with her, that he couldn't take her like some woman that was an easy lay. Although, those were the only women that Daryl ever physically dealt with. Women that knew that either of their intention was to just have sex and then go on with their lives. No pillow talk, no cuddling, definitely no strings attached. The only reason Daryl even dealt with those women were because of the influence his brother had on him. As if Daryl was meant to disregard women, that they were nothing useful but a good lay over and that was it. Daryl had to drink himself until he was pissed drunk before he could do such things, and in the end he always felt dirty and ashamed of himself because in reality, this wasn't who he was. He thought he was suppose to be like Merle, thought that Merle was the man that he should become. Those were the shoes he was suppose to fill. All he was suppose to care about was himself and who gave a shit about anyone else?

But he did give a shit.

He screwed things up. He went off on Elena just because he didn't know how to deal with the fear he had, the fear that Carol pointed out. Daryl didn't want to lose her. He _needed_ her for something more than a physical experience. He needed her emotionally because she had caused the addiction, the addiction he had of feeling wanted, of feeling like a value of worth to her. Elena showed him that he mattered to her. And maybe she ignored his opinion at the warehouse, ignored his disagreement that if she ran in there she was going to get hurt even worse and put herself in danger. But she didn't fully understand why he didn't want her to go. It was because he wasn't in there beside her and protecting her like he should have been. That was his job he took, that was his responsibility now. Not Glenn's, not Rick's. Taking care of Elena was _Daryl's_ job.

* * *

Elena found Rick and Hershel outside while the others were setting up in the run down shack that they had found off the road. Half of the shack was broken down but they had made sure it would stand long until first light. Rick was taking first watch and Elena supposed Hershel was there talking to him about something. She realized that Rick and Hershel often talked in privacy and she wondered if it was about where there headed or the decisions Rick had to make. Elena learned that Hershel had the voice of reason and was definitely wise with age so it only made sense that Rick turned to him with questions, after all Rick didn't always have all the answers.

Elena had been able to step out when the group was beginning to set their selves up for bed. Thankfully Daryl hadn't been in there. Elena didn't know where he was. Maybe off checking around the perimeter again or something. Whatever the case, Elena knew she couldn't face him, couldn't be near him. She needed to cool off, and he definitely needed too also.

When she came up behind the two men, Hershel and Rick turned at her approach, both with friendly expressions on their faces.

"Mind if I cut in?" she asked them quietly.

Rick gave her a polite nod.

"Still sayin' no to my suggestion?" Hershel asked her, peering his eyes toward her. "The sleepin' pills," he added when Elena gave him a look of confusion.

Elena sighed. "Yes. No—I don't know." She shrugged. "I remembered my sister use to have night terrors when we were kids, could it be a genetic thing?"

"Exact inheritance hasn't been proven," Hershel replied. "And what you have aren't night terrors."

"I know, guess I'm just looking for some sort of answer." She began fidgeting with the dog tags around her neck and she looked up at Rick then. "Have you thought about my offer with taking a shift?"

Rick exhaled, gazing toward Hershel as if for an answer. "How are her ribs?"

"Fair," Hershel replied and moved his eyes to her. "They're still causin' pain which is normal for the amount of time spent healin'."

"You seemed a little more exhausted from today after the warehouse," Rick said slowly. "Are you sure your up for keepin' watch alone?"

Elena frowned. "That's not my choice, it's yours, whether you think I'm capable enough. I'm not gonna lie, my ribs still hurt and it can be difficult to breathe sometimes. But handling stray walkers wouldn't be a problem for me, I don't think."

Rick's gaze was thoughtful, his eyes narrowed. "Maybe you ought to have someone with you for now, just to make sure. Maybe to check up on you."

"Babysitting?" Elena inquired.

"Think of it as someone there to relieve you of duty if you're not feelin' up to it."

Elena frowned. It still sounded like babysitting to her.

"This isn't me sayin' you're not capable, Elena. I think you proved yourself well enough today. This is me making sure you're okay."

Elena lowered her eyes at his words, the thoughtfulness of them striking her. She met his eyes, a smile tugging the corner of her lips.

"If you wanna do it tonight, I can have Daryl—"

She hesitated then. "No," Elena said quickly, cutting him off. "It doesn't have to be tonight."

Rick furrowed his brow at her fast reply, looking over at Hershel momentarily before he stepped closer to her, his voice hushed. "Has somethin' happened between you two?"

She didn't mean to widen her eyes, but when she did she knew in that instant the answer to Rick's question was all over her face. Rick didn't know about them. Was he not suppose to know? Did it matter? Probably not, but Elena felt self-conscious either way.

"That argument you had when we left the warehouse..."

"Daryl didn't like the idea."

Rick nodded his head. "That much was clear." He looked to her, his eyes warm. "He expressed that to you."

"Strongly." Elena inhaled. "He thought I'd get hurt during the run, didn't want me to go through with it."

Elena could see calculated understanding in Rick's eyes, as if the way Daryl had reacted earlier made perfect sense now.

"It...It goes deeper than that, Rick. And it's between me and Daryl, so don't think it's a question against your decision with letting me go through with the plan," she told him. Elena didn't want to stir up any trouble between Rick and Daryl, whether Daryl's anger on her was directed toward Rick's authority also. It wasn't.

Rick shook his head, a small smile on his lips. "No need to explain yourself. Just had been on my mind for quite some time."

"What has?"

The smile never left his face. "He seems almost over protective when it comes to you. Different than how he is with the rest of the group."

Elena sighed. "I don't mean to be a burden."

"No, you're not. But that doesn't mean he won't worry about you."

The sincerity in Rick's eyes was hard to miss. His words were almost as identical to Maggie's which bewildered her. How come they could see it and she didn't? Probably dealing with Daryl's temper first hand gave her a different perspective than what Rick had seen. Daryl did practically say that he didn't care what happened to her. But the question was, did Daryl mean it? Or was he just too afraid to express what he really wanted to say?


	18. Chapter 18

**Well, hardy har har, I got this chapter finished a lot faster than I thought...well, technically my school work suffered for it, but who really cares? Haha. This chapter was incredibly interesting to write, because it was kinda a surprise to even me where it went and I think you guys will enjoy this one too. I love love love character interactions and I think that's the most fun to do in a fanfiction. And I think this chapter is the best of that yet.**

**No song for this chapter, too focused on what was going on that I needed silence. Thank you everyone for following, almost hitting the 100 mark, and a special thanks to those that have reviewed. I honestly do take them to account and they always do help inspire parts in the in coming chapters, I hope you know that. :) And yes I'm bargaining, lol.**

**I take no credit for characters with an exception to my OC's.**

* * *

"_If you're gonna do this, it's gotta be quick," Rick said, staring down at both Elena and Glenn. They nodded in understanding. "We can't see past the warehouse and we've seen several walkers near the fence gate so far. There's no tellin' whether there are more of 'em. Stealth is the main priority here."_

"_Look, Elena and I could lead toward the side of the warehouse for cover. Find out how many are really in the parking lot. If there's too many for us to handle on our own, we'll give you a signal. You guys can stay behind the fence unless we need you," Glenn explained. "The two of us are faster than all of us together. We'll use the tractor trailers to keep ourselves hidden and we'll move around the walkers, kill any if we need to but we'll do it quietly. It might take us a while but we can check inside each trailer if anything is in them. We don't need all of us going in."_

_Rick was nodding his head slowly, his hands on his hips. His eyes drifted toward Elena who was standing alongside Glenn. "You sure you can handle this?"_

"_Glenn can't do this on his own," Elena answered. "I can handle running in and Glenn and I can watch out for each other."_

_Rick hesitated for a moment, his gaze looking over at T-Dog who was listening in on the plan. He titled his head and lifted his brows, giving him a look of uncertainty. He returned his eyes on the two._

"_Alright, but if anythin' goes wrong, anythin' at all, you whistle. We'll come in, give you back up and we leave immediately. I want your guns on you, use them if it's necessary. The three of us will wait unless you signal us otherwise."_

"_Sounds good," Glenn agreed, gazing toward Elena beside him, giving her half a smile before lightly nudging her arm._

_Elena returned it before he walked passed her and she then felt a hand on her wrist, before she was pulled back. Elena lost her footing for a second when she turned seeing that the hand belonged to Daryl, and he was pulling her away from the others. She walked in stride with him until he stopped and let her go._

"_Ya ain't gonna go in there."_

_Elena stared at him for a moment. Daryl's lips were in a tight light, his brows furrowed but his eyes held regard._

"_I have to."_

"_Naw, ya don'." Daryl was chewing the side of his cheek, looking back at the others quickly before he returned his eyes on her. "We don' know if anythin' are in those trailers."_

"_That's exactly the reason why Glenn and I need to check." Elena sighed but gave him a small smile. "I'll be okay, Daryl. Glenn is gonna be with me, nothing's gonna happen—"_

"_Ya don' _know _that." His tone was getting impatient. "Ya go in there, trip an' fall walkers ain't gonna hesitate."_

"_I'll be careful—"_

"_Don' matter!" Daryl exhaled roughly. "Ya push yerself too hard, ya gonna make yer ribs worse."_

_Elena sighed again. "I can handle this."_

"_Like the last time?"_

_She stared at him and frowned. She knew what he was referring to. He was talking about days ago, when they were on the road, stuck behind the barricade of cars that had obstructed the groups path, when the herd of walkers had come from no where and Elena attempted to attack them. She hadn't been thinking then, and taking the responsibility had been too much for her injury to take. Because of that it had halted the healing process, causing more of a burn to her side and forcing her involuntarily to completely stay out of the action for a bit. But since then Elena felt better, her injury less of an obstacle and more like just a small nuisance._

_But Daryl didn't see that._

"_This is different," Elena finally said. "My ribs aren't a problem."_

"_Don' be stupid," Daryl grunted. "I'm tellin' ya, this is a _bad _idea."_

"_It's the only one we have. Just trust me, okay?"_

_Daryl didn't say anything, his composure becoming tenser and his eyes narrowed. He wasn't convinced, but Elena didn't know what else more she could say._

Elena was chewing on her bottom lip, the memory still fresh in her mind. And every time she thought about it, every time she analyzed it, she felt stupid for not seeing it at first. The look he was giving her when he pulled her away from the others wasn't regard. It was _concern_. Why didn't she notice that sooner? Rick and Maggie knew better. She should have too. Elena supposed that she had been right, she needed the time to cool off, think things through properly. Let the anger ease away so she could think clearly. And now that she had the whole night, the whole morning, she understood more of Daryl's reasons for blowing up on her.

Sometimes when you were angry, it blinded you from the words you'd end up saying, words that you most likely would regret later. But even then, Elena hadn't seen Daryl all night, even when she stayed out with Rick through the hours or when she went back to the shack to at least attempt to get some sleep. When the sun rose, Daryl was already getting ready to leave and Elena thought better to talk to him. Maybe she had cooled down, but Daryl probably needed more time. So, Elena gave him space, let him work things out. And maybe she didn't need to be the one to strike up the conversation.

Daryl had yelled at her, said things to her that were hurtful without thinking first, and to her, an apology would be more than appreciative. Elena didn't know whether she should expect one, and if she did, how long would she have to wait?

When Elena returned her focus on the road, staring at the back of the Chevy Suburban in front of her absently, she saw the break lights from the back of it illuminate, startling her and she slammed her foot on the brake. The Dodge Ram jerked into a full stop, causing T-Dog who had been dozing off in the passenger side to jump in his seat.

"Sorry," Elena apologized automatically, looking over to him then back at the Chevy Suburban.

Why did Rick suddenly stop?

In that instant, she could see the passenger door shoot open and Lori jumping out, jogging to the side of the road in a hurry. She bent down, leaning her hands against the guard rail at the side of the road. Elena immediately put the truck in park and stepped out of the cab, moving around the Dodge Ram and jogging toward Lori's side.

Lori gagged a couple of times before she puked again, coughing. Elena brushed her hair away from her face and held it against her back, where she used her other hand to rub her shoulder, to momentarily comfort her. When Elena heard footsteps, she looked back seeing Rick standing by the hood of the Chevy Suburban, his brows furrowed with worry but he didn't come any closer. Hershel then was suddenly at her side, looking over Lori who was still holding tight the guard rail and retching.

"Morning sickness," Hershel whispered to Elena. She knew.

Turning her eyes back again, she saw Carl step out of the Chevy.

"Is Mom okay?"

"Carl, grab a bottle of water for your mom," Elena told him, gazing back at Rick. She meant to ask him but the distance he kept away made her rethink her decision.

Rick could only watch, his instinct to help his wife suddenly absent. She didn't look well in the truck, but he didn't think much of it until she told him to stop and practically jumped out her door. He tried to make an attempt to check on her but when he saw Elena running toward Lori, he froze. But why? Wasn't taking care of his wife his responsibility? And now seeing Hershel, looking her over, Rick took a sub-conscious step back.

He narrowed his eyes, confused of his own actions for a minute and his mind suddenly returned back to the memory when he had told Lori that he killed Shane. He didn't know exactly why his mind went there, maybe it was because of the sight of her bent over the way she was, like she had been after Rick told her Carl had put Shane down. He remembered her hair falling over her face, her hands on her knees. He reached for her then, placed his hand on her shoulder, maybe to comfort her, maybe to reach for some sort of support. Whatever it had been, Lori pushed away from him and when he'd advanced, she stepped back, looking at him, horrified. Then she walked away from him, and didn't look back.

Maybe a part of Rick made the assumption that if he were to go over there, place his hand on her back, she'd do it again. Ultimately, that couldn't be true but Rick thought it anyway. When did things get so bad?

Rick had more of a responsibility now and he knew it gave him little time to really sit down and have a talk with his wife. But in reality, he didn't want to. The baby was going to be a subject in their conversation eventually and Rick wanted to postpone it as long as he could. He wasn't ready to discuss their situation, he wasn't ready to believe in the next several months, give or take, a baby was going to be brought in this world. His baby. The thought of it brought a horrible taste in his mouth because saying that the baby was his, the voice in his head always came back, nagging at him. Never leaving him alone, always pestering him with the thought of Shane sleeping with _his_ wife. These thoughts didn't need to be dealt with, he didn't have the strength for it. That's why he kept his mind focused, distracted on their plans ahead. And Lori's sudden urgency, being there to witness the morning sickness dropped Rick hard back into reality.

Carl brushed passed him, a bottle of water in his hand as he jogged to Elena's side. She uncapped it and and handed it to Lori, who took it, swashing it in her mouth and spat it out, rinsing away the bile.

From the corner of his eye Rick saw a dark figure approach, and looked toward Daryl who was standing away from his bike, his gaze questionable. Rick knew why. The sudden stop was delaying their travel, and they never stayed on the road for more than twenty minutes. Rick gestured his hand to Daryl, a small message that they'd only take a couple more minutes here.

"You okay?" Elena asked Lori, leaning down with her.

Lori was nodding her head, her eyes closed. She was breathing in deeply and she took a swig of the bottle in her hand before she stood straight. Hershel was holding her arm, his eyes holding a hint of concern. This was normal during a pregnancy but the group had little to eat, and puking it up wasn't favourable.

"I'm alright," Lori breathed after a bit, testing her limits by taking a few steps back.

Rick stepped in then, and held her door open for her. A subtle act, but at that point, it was the most Rick could do. Lori looked faint, pale but she pushed herself forward and returned in the truck, her hand holding her head in her palm. Rick closed the door behind her lightly, jerking his head at Carl to get back in the truck. Rick's eyes met Hershel's when he moved around to the driver's side. His stare seeming troubled and held a hidden question. Rick didn't say anything, stepping inside the Chevy and closed the door after him.

Lori was quiet beside him, her eyes closed, looking more exhausted than she had before. He returned his eyes to his mirrors where he saw Hershel and Elena return back into their vehicles. And they set out back onto the road.

* * *

"Did ya find anythin'?"

Maggie was behind her while Elena checked over the barely stacked shelves again, in the vitamin isle. She was only able to find one bottle of prenatal vitamins for Lori. It wasn't much, but she supposed it was better than nothing at all.

Elena passed the bottle to Maggie, who took it in her hands.

"Only one left."

Maggie sighed.

When they went back in their travels, the group was able to stop at a pharmacy in the side of the road to hopefully loot for some things. Not much had been left there, with an exception to some leftovers and some stray walkers that had found their way inside the store.

Maggie motioned for Elena to follow her back outside with the others and Elena walked after her out of the isle. She stumbled on her step when she almost bumped into a body that was walking passed and Elena looked up. She froze.

Daryl stood in front of her, his crossbow at his side. His eyes brushed over her and he looked away in that instant and walked again, toward the exit. Elena let out a breath, a sudden tightness in her lungs. She gazed up, noticing Maggie staring at her, the expression on her face one of acknowledged empathy. Elena shook her head, wanting to dismiss it and made her way to the door, stepping back outside.

Glenn, T-Dog and Hershel were by the cars, armed and scouting. Elena spotted Lori sitting out of the Chevy, Beth and Carol beside her. Maggie walked alongside her as they strode over.

The women lifted their heads at their approach and Maggie lent the bottle of vitamins toward Lori.

"It was the last one left," Elena explained and frowned. "We'll find more."

Lori was shaking her head. "This is more than enough." She lifted her eyes to either women, a faint smile on her lips. "Thank you."

"Was there anything left in there?" Carol asked, crossing her arms.

Maggie shook her head. "Barely much left. We managed to find some aspirin and a few other vitamins." As if for evidence, Maggie pulled out a couple bottles of vitamin C and E tablets from her bag. Carol gave a half smile at that, as a polite, thankful gesture.

What they had gotten was very little but the expectation of finding large quantities of things they needed was no longer something any member of the group had. Elena did, back at the parking lot, back when she found that Food Bank tractor trailer. After that, her expectations thinned out.

The group wasn't starving, but right now the food that they had stored in the Hyundai and Chevy wouldn't last them for more than a month, maybe two if they limited down the amount they ate again. However, that wasn't exactly an option. What they ate was enough of a healthy dose, enough to keep them going and enough to maintain the weight they all had. Although thin, the group wasn't unhealthy.

As for a medical foundation, Hershel gave the suggestion that they should horde vitamins and medicines just in case anybody got injured or sick for any reason. They had been lucky. T-Dog and Elena had been the only ones who suffered any sort of strain, but T-Dog's gunshot wound had become an ugly healing scar and the bruise on Elena's ribs was now a faint, disgusting yellow. Hopefully that would be the last of the injuries for a long time. The only individual now that had the attention of medical care at this point was Lori. Not that her pregnancy was a medical condition by all means, but it was a medical concern, now that they lacked nutrition and real full meals. Lori needed to be healthy, especially for the baby.

Elena heard a commotion suddenly when Glenn and T-Dog stepped down and away from the vehicles. She gazed out, nearby the side of the pharmacy where a few bodies of the dead emerged. It turned out to be only a few, then some more approached from behind them. Not a herd, but not exactly small in numbers.

"I think we overstayed our welcome," Elena muttered.

She could see Rick step out from view with Carl, looking toward the swagger of the walking corpses. He walked with long strides back toward the group, toward the vehicles where he motioned for Glenn and T-Dog to return back to the cars, that they were leaving, no need to exert themselves in killing walkers that weren't their problem in a place that they had already looted. Beth and Carol went with Hershel briskly back into the Hyundai in a minor rush anyway as Carl and Lori returned inside the Chevy Suburban. Elena jogged back toward the Dodge Ram, throwing T-Dog the keys, allowing his turn to drive, and ran around to the passenger side. Daryl kicked started his engine, and went in the lead as the group retreated one after the other.

* * *

_It was quiet but somehow her footsteps echoed so loudly in her ears, almost deafening them. Elena tried to slow her pace to see if that would lower the volume. It didn't._

_It was so dark and she could barely see anything no matter how she scrutinized her eyes to focus. Elena stopped walking, her steps echoing around her like acoustics. She tried to peer, tried to see if she could see something, maybe in the distance, maybe nearby. Her eyes weren't getting accustomed to the dark and she couldn't see the outline of any objects. Not a surface, a wall, nothing. Just black. That's all there was._

_Then, she heard something._

_At first it sounded like rattling, like brisk knocking against the floor. The sound faint, barely a whisper, but at each passing second it got louder. She turned her head, trying to use the hearing in her ears to determine what direction that noise was coming from._

_It was coming from behind her._

_The noise got louder and Elena realized the noise wasn't rattling, it wasn't knocking. It was footsteps, fast footsteps. A bundle of them, molding together like a chorus. Elena took a step, trying to look behind her. All she saw was black but the noise was growing in volume. Before she knew it, she was running, as fast as her legs could take her, but the volume of the steps didn't lessen, didn't change, and whatever was behind her was coming closer._

_Something knocked hard against her foot and gravity pushed Elena forward, hard on her knees and down to her stomach. Elena attempted to get back up but something tight was holding her ankle, so painfully tight that she turned on her back and shook her leg violently, to loosen the hold, to make it let go. Something grabbed her thigh and she looked down._

_All she could see was a pale hand, the arm attached fading into the black. Elena felt for a weapon, anything on her, anything she could use to protect herself. Her hands touched steel against her hip and she grasped it tight, her fingers finding the curve and structure of the object familiar. She held onto the pistol and aimed the muzzle forward, both hands on the handgrip. Her finger was on the trigger, tight against it and ready. But the hand on her thigh let go, reaching further above, the fingers taking a handful of her shirt. She saw the muscles in the arms flex and Elena realized that the thing that was holding her was pulling itself closer. She could now see the arm past the elbow as it pulled, her sight reaching further to its shoulder, its collarbone, up its neck. Then its face._

_Elena squeezed the trigger, to fire a single shot. But her finger would not respond. She tried again but her hands were trembling, and the face was coming closer. Its jaw brushed against the muzzle of the pistol and Elena pressed it underneath its chin, her eyes burning. But her trigger finger wouldn't move._

_Elena's teeth were clenched tight but a sob managed to escape, her eyes staring hard into the blue eyes that were looking at her. The face of it was contorted, not really human, but it was still eye-piercingly recognizable._

_It was Daryl._

_His skin was pale, almost transparent, the veins underneath so visible. His lips were blue, pulling back from blackened teeth that had residue of red, like he had already fed. But his eyes hadn't changed. They had life in them, still as normal as they could be and Elena couldn't look away._

_Daryl hissed and growled, gaping his jaw at her, the pistol under his chin still preventing him from getting at her._

"_Pull the trigger...," Elena whispered to herself, her eyes stinging now._

"_Pull the trigger."_

"_Do it."_

"_Just pull the trigger."_

"_It's not him. That's not Daryl."_

"_Pull the trigger."_

"_Pull the _damn _trigger!"_

_And yet, no matter how many times she said it, no matter how many times she yelled, her tears fell and her finger would not move. And Daryl pushed at the pistol in her hands, finally knocking it away from his chin and lunged at her._

Elena's eyes shot open and her body jolted in her seat, her right arm slapping against her door suddenly, bringing a minor pain on her elbow. She held the door for a moment, her breathing coming out harsh as she pulled herself up, adjusting her posture in her seat. She blinked hard, looking ahead at the dashboard then through the windshield where she could see the Chevy Suburban ahead of them, moving along the twists of the road.

It was just a dream, just a nightmare. It wasn't real.

Her breathing was settling now and Elena shut her eyes, resting her elbow against her window and buried her face in her hand.

"You...okay?"

Hearing T-Dog's voice beside her, Elena froze forgetting that he was in the Dodge Ram with her. It should have been obvious, she wasn't the one driving it.

Elena swallowed, not even taking the time to bother looking back at him. She already knew what the look on his face would be. Startlement, disturbed. Maybe even pity. She didn't want to handle seeing that, the dream was enough Elena could take at that very moment.

"Elena?"

"I'm fine." Her voice was low, and a little bit harsh. Her eyes were pinched shut, and she pressed them further against the palm of her hand, wishing that somehow the pressure would erase the images she had seen.

Elena's head ached, a pulsing gnaw on her temples. She lifted it away from her hand, turning and reaching into the backseat for her backpack. She found it, taking it with her in the front where she rummaged through, finding the aspirin she had found at the convenience store more than a few weeks ago, after the shootout. She shook it absently, hearing the light taps of the few pills left in there. She kept the bottle with her at night, a relief after she woke because every time she did a headache was there to greet her. The only thing she regretted now was that she had so little pills left to spare.

Grabbing a spare water bottle from her bag, Elena tapped a couple of pills into her hand, slapping it in her mouth before taking a long swing of the bottle. She could see, from the corner of her eye that T-Dog was switching his sight from the road and back to her.

"Man, I..." T-Dog was attempting to break the silence and Elena grimaced, the sound of his voice making the ache in her head tender. "I didn't know it was this bad."

"No one does." She tried to make her voice sound nonchalant but it came out bitter. Elena hadn't meant it to. It was no ones' fault that these dreams haunted her.

But her reply hadn't been entirely true. Only one person knew.

Daryl.

Her eyes were stinging now, the images of him from the dream returning and Elena fought, biting on her lip hard to keep the tears from coming. When the hell did she become so sensitive?

"Ain't right," T-Dog whispered. "Ain't there somethin' you can take? Some medicine that can stop nightmares or somethin'?"

"Prescription pills," she answered. "But they make the dreams lucid, not necessarily get rid of them."

"Lucid." T-Dog tested out the word. "Like dreams you can control, right?"

"I rather not dream at all." She ran her hand through her hair and leaned her head back against the headrest. She titled her face, her eyes on T-Dog that glanced at her and she lifted one corner of her lips. "Now you know why I always want to drive?"

"So you don't fall asleep."

Elena looked back ahead to the road, feeling the pounding of her headache finally lessen.

"Y'know what?" T-Dog inquired, his voice soft. "It'll go away. Just takes time."

A sad smile broke over Elena's face and she lowered her head, nodding to his words.

* * *

_Stop being such a pussy._

But as much as he scolded himself, as much as he pushed, Daryl didn't have the courage to go up and talk to her. Maybe if she had been alone, stepped away from the group momentarily, maybe then Daryl would be able to step in and pull Elena away. Try to apologize for what he had said to her. But Elena stayed in the mid of the group, like she was guarding herself in the numbers, away from him. Daryl was probably being skeptical, jumping to conclusions that Elena was avoiding him. The thoughts came either way and Daryl allowed them. It gave him excuses, a reason to not talk to her face to face, because in all honesty, what the hell would he say to her? Sorry, he figured would be the first step. And Daryl tried to organize the words in his head, to possibly order them in a small speech, an explanation because Elena deserved one. She needed to know why. But his brain was all over the place, so jumbled with the over thinking he had done since last night that he didn't even know where to start.

Good lord, what the hell had gotten into him? He was actually _scared_. Scared to talk to her.

Daryl was experienced with a lot of things. Hunting, survival, independency. But he wasn't experienced with _this_. With having a heart to heart with people. Is that what folks called it? Elena was so far ahead of him in this emotional shit that Daryl was lost, not knowing what direction he was going. And he was trying somewhat, trying to catch up but it was like he had a tendency to trip over and fall on his own set pride. But Elena would always stop, wait for him, patient as he attempted to get back on his feet, because she knew he needed to get there in his own pace, his own way.

All Daryl could do now was watch her from a distance as she went ahead helping the others set up their dinner for the night, whatever it was. Elena was with Carol and Beth at the back of the Hyundai, going through the boxes of canned food they still had. Plenty enough for now, but Daryl thought he should go hunting again soon. Plus, hunting always gave him a breather. Somehow it was therapeutic in its own sense. If he could, he'd go hunting now, but Rick wanted him to watch the perimeter considering they were out in the open on the road. Although he should be watching out for any roamers, his eyes just wouldn't leave her and he wanted to scold himself some more.

If he couldn't kick himself to go up and talk to her, the least he could do was stop looking at her and stop thinking about her. Just leave it be for now.

When Carol turned, rubbing the back of her hand on her forehead, her eyes suddenly settled on him and Daryl went stiff. Her brows were furrowed while watching him and there was something in her gaze. An expectation.

"_How do you expect her to understand if you don't tell her?"_

Carol's words just wouldn't get out of his head, just wouldn't leave him alone—much like Carol herself. She was a real kick in the teeth but the only one there that wanted to push him to express himself rather than take a step back like he normally did, like he was comfortable with.

Carol finally broke eye contact when Elena said something to her, asking her a question. She smiled at her and nodded, taking the cans from her hands and walked away.

"Daryl."

Shifting his position, Daryl finally took his eyes off Elena, looking back in the direction the call had come from. Rick sauntered toward him. Daryl straightened up, taking a courtesy step to him.

"Road and woods are clear," he told him, assuming he was coming to him for an update.

Rick was nodding his head but his expression showed that he wasn't entirely interested in the perimeters status right now. He looked like he had something else in mind. Daryl narrowed his eyes on him expectantly and waited.

Rick gazed at him for a moment before he lowered his head and switched his gaze back out to the woods.

"I wanted to talk to you...about yesterday."

Daryl should have been prepared for this. It wasn't like he had completely disagreed outspokenly that Rick's plan—Glenn and Elena's plan, was the best one they had. Still, Daryl had been a little snarky to him and he figured after he took his temper out on Elena in front of Rick, he'd probably wanted an explanation. All this was becoming tiresome.

"You told Elena you didn't want her involved with the plan," Rick said slowly, as if he was choosing his words carefully.

Daryl's hands on his crossbow tightened. Did she tell him? He remembered seeing Elena with Rick and Hershel last night when he was doing his rounds by the shack, to give himself time to think mostly. Maybe she had mentioned it.

"You have the right to put in a word." Rick looked at him then. "Make a compromise where plannin' is concerned."

"Thought this ain't a democracy anymore," Daryl remarked. "Ain't that whatcha said?"

Rick nodded his head, agreeing with him. "You've gone this far without sayin' a word, followed my lead..." He took a moment, then inhaled. "I know if it had been my son I'd fight against the plan. As a father, I know better than to let Carl get involved in how dangerous it was."

"...This gotta point?" Daryl spoke softly.

"Elena." Rick said her name matter-of-factly, like Daryl was suppose to understand that this entire conversation was about her. Daryl wasn't stupid. He knew.

"Next time you feel for any reason that she shouldn't be a part of it..." He trailed off, gesturing toward him. "I got ears."

Daryl lowered his eyes when Rick looked away from him and began to walk, leaving him with a lot more to think about than what he already had.

* * *

Elena's eyes felt strained and heavy but she gave up trying to fall asleep a long while ago. Some nights were harder than others and this was one of them. She just couldn't stop thinking of the dream she had mid day. It wasn't completely identical to the other nightmare she had of Daryl, but it was close enough. Horrifying enough. Although all her dreams featured different people she knew, the main subject matter was always the same. To kill them by her hand. It was different killing walkers that she didn't know. She didn't who they once were, what had been their names, whether they had family, what their occupation had been, whatever. But seeing those you knew, people that you spent your life with turning, being one of those _things_...

She knew now why these dreams started recently after Toni died. Seeing him become a walker in that short amount of a minute had done more to her than traumatize her. And seeing Rick put a bullet in his head had finalized the deal. That's what she couldn't let go, that's what haunted her. Having someone you care for becoming things that you had to kill to survive, and having the choice to kill them afterwards. And the question that was nagging her, the question that these dreams taunted her with was:

Could she do it?

Elena sighed and sat up, rubbing at her eyes. She had spent too long analyzing her dreams in this truck. She needed to get out.

She opened her door quietly, to not wake T-Dog that laid in the backseat asleep and closed the door behind her. She tightened her arms around her when the cold air hit her and her legs moved on their own accord, before she even decided where she was going. There was no bypassing where she was headed, and she supposed it was about time she faced him.

Daryl stood by his brother's motorcycle, looking off into the woods before he moved, leaning against the back of the Chevy Suburban parked nearby. His crossbow was in his hands, rested against the front of his body, the wind brushing against this brown hair. Then, his head twitched and he lifted his eyes, his posture straightening when his gaze met hers. He leaned away from the truck.

He stared at her for a long while as she approached him before his eyes narrowed for a second and he dropped his gaze.

"...For a second, thought ya ain't gonna come."

Elena knew what he meant as soon as he said it. Like clockwork, she always met up with him during his watch, but this time she took a lot longer to leave the Dodge Ram than she use to.

"I wasn't," she answered honestly, then shrugged. "I guess old habits die hard."

Daryl met her eyes again and the expression on his face was soft.

"Nightmare?"

The question was an attempt to keep the conversation going, and it perked up Elena's curiosity. They hadn't talked since yesterday afternoon, after all, so conversing felt a little uneasy. Awkward.

"No," she said quietly. "Just couldn't sleep." She gave him a half smile, stepping a little bit closer, her arms crossed over her chest.

"Wait."

Elena stopped, staring at him and he moved passed her, to his brother's bike. He bent over to his bag that was leaning against the back tire and he pulled something out, turning to her. He was merely two feet away from her but Elena's mind grew heavy at the distance. She wasn't entirely sure why.

Daryl then lent whatever he was holding in his hand toward her and Elena's eyes lowered to it.

"Helped ya fall asleep before."

In his hand was a bottle of whiskey and the memories of the last time she had some alcohol flooded her mind. She remembered after her and Daryl's little act of rushed hormones, when she retreated back where the group was asleep, the alcohol had weighed on her and she had fallen asleep almost instantly when she laid down alongside the others.

Elena blinked and Daryl pushed the bottle just an inch closer. Elena decided to take it then.

"How many more of these do you have?"

He shrugged one shoulder slightly. "One." He adjusted his crossbow in his hands. "Don' tell the others. Ain't lookin' to share."

Elena had to fight the smile that wanted to spread her lips. Daryl was willing to share with her only, and she couldn't help but feel a little exclusive, even if it was just alcohol. She walked to the back of the Chevy and leaned against it before twisting the cap from the bottle. Daryl looked reluctant at first but he moved to her side, leaning lightly against the Chevy with her, but she could see that his posture seemed tense, stiff.

"I won't be drinking as much as last time," she told him.

"Ain't expectin' ya to get shitfaced drunk."

Elena grinned a little and brought the bottle to her lips, the whisky burning her tongue and her throat. And yet the taste of it was inviting. She licked her lips and handed the bottle to Daryl, assuming so he'd like some too. He took it and had a swig.

They were both silent for a moment and when Daryl lent the bottle back to her and she grabbed it, her fingers touching his, the brief contact brought a strange sensation up her arm. It was so quiet, Elena could hear him swallow down the alcohol down his throat. And she worried her lip, wondering if she should say something to him.

She glanced at him for a second, realizing his eyes were on her and they both looked away, the air suddenly tense. Uncomfortable.

She then heard Daryl exhale before he brushed his hand on her arm.

"Hey, look," he began, his voice quiet, "I'm sorry...'bout what happened yesterday."

Elena met his eyes, and he looked at her steadily, his lips a tight line. She waited, almost urging him to continue, to say more because she could see that there was more he wanted to say in his eyes. But then she saw a slight clench in his jaw, like the words he wanted to say wouldn't come out, or he just didn't know how to say them. Elena supposed the apology was enough at this point.

She smiled at him warmly, hoping that would ease the look he was giving her. "Trial and error, right?"

Daryl exhaled through his nose, a twitch acting on the corner of his lips and his tense posture looked about relaxed now. She handed him the bottle again and he took it, twisting it in his hands. He didn't drink from it as Elena had expected. He stared at it, chewing the side of his cheek.

"...Don' get it."

"What?" Elena asked him.

"I don' get it," he repeated and peered at her. "Why do ya bother...?"

He didn't say it, but she assumed that 'with me?' was suppose to be added to end of his question.

"'Cause it's worth it."

Daryl furrowed his brow.

"It's worth spending time with you, getting to know you...," she trailed off when Daryl looked away, seemingly embarrassed maybe. "_You're_ worth it."

Daryl snorted, but it sounded like a short breath that was suppose to be a laugh. And Elena kept her eyes on him.

He didn't think he was.

"You were worried about me and I should have seen it," Elena whispered. "I should have listened to what you had to say first before I went through with the run."

Daryl didn't say anything.

"And you were right."

His eyes shot to her, his gaze questioning.

"I did go 'cause I wanted to prove something." She frowned then. "I wanted to prove that I'm not weak."

Confessing this to him took a lot out of her, but Elena honestly felt so much better, now that it was out in the open.

"Ya ain't weak," he replied. He handed her back the bottle. "Got bruised ribs an' there was a herd of walkers behind that fence an' ya _still_ wanted to go in there."

"Stupid, huh?"

"Naw." He shook his head. "Jus' wanted to be in there with ya, is all."

Elena smiled at him, understanding now. He just wanted to be there with her, to protect her. To make sure she was okay. To make sure she was safe.

Elena leaned toward him, pressing her lips against his cheek and lingered in the kiss before she pulled back. Daryl was looking at her, his eyes slightly narrowed, intense. And Elena decided not to pull back all the way. Her eyes lowered toward his lips, and she felt that same gravitation, that same yearning that always tempted her, always telling her that she needed more of him.

Daryl took a small step closer before he dipped his head, the gap between them barely there. But before she could lean her lips against his, to instantly close the gap, they heard footsteps and Elena bit her lip, lowering her head when Daryl leaned away from her. She moved her eyes away from him, seeing T-Dog walking toward them, rubbing his eyes, still appearing to be half asleep.

He was there to take over Daryl's shift, and Elena wanted to laugh. _Déjà vu_, just like the first time Daryl and her kissed.

Daryl took the bottle from her hand and took a swig in that instant, and Elena couldn't ignore the fact that it was an action of slight frustration.

T-Dog blinked a couple of times, staring at the bottle Daryl held, and he narrowed his eyes on Elena. "You told me he didn't have any left."

"What—oh." As soon as she asked the question she realized what he was talking about. That night when T-Dog asked her to talk to Daryl about whether he had more alcohol, she used it as an excuse to talk to Daryl about their kiss and what it meant. Of course she didn't ask Daryl about whether he had more alcohol on him and to avoid making the situation seeming suspicious when T-Dog asked about it, she lied and told him Daryl didn't have anything left.

Daryl switched his gaze from him to her, a look of confusion on his face. Elena took the bottle from his hands, having a final sip before taking a few steps toward T-Dog and lending the bottle to him. Daryl and her had only drank half of it and she supposed the rest was enough compensation.

"Mmhmm," T-Dog muttered, pursing his lips. But he took the bottle, lifting it as a gesture of polite thanks. And he smirked.

She slightly laughed at him and shook her head.

"Rick still takin' watch in the backside?" Daryl asked T-Dog, his voice all business now.

T-Dog nodded his head while he drank from the bottle, letting out a sigh after he took it away from his lips and swallowed. "That's some good shit."

Daryl began walking, passed her and passed T-Dog, toward the direction he came from, maybe to look for Rick. Elena bid T-Dog a goodnight where he replied with nothing more than a signified grunt, and she jogged to catch up to Daryl. He turned his head at her approach and he slowed his steps, so she was in stride with him.

The rush to get to his side made her a little disoriented, the alcohol starting to now take effect. Elena had made sure she didn't drink too much, learning her lessen from before but the alcohol brought a warmth in her body, distressing it. And it felt good.

When they got to the Dodge Ram, Elena grabbed the handle to the frontseat and opened the door. She made a move to hop in but she stopped herself, her teeth chewing on her bottom lip, thoughtful. She looked back at Daryl.

"Night," he said briefly and moved to step passed her.

Elena grabbed his wrist.

Daryl froze, rethinking the step forward he was about to take, and he stood firmly in place. He looked at her, his eyes squinted. He was questioning her with his gaze, his lips parted as if he were about to ask. Elena took a step toward him and Daryl only watched her, his eyes curious now. Elena lowered her eyes to the crossbow he held firmly in his hands. She moved her fingers from his wrist, loosening his left hand from the foregrip, before pushing the crossbow to his side. He didn't refuse.

His brows were furrowed now, unsure. Elena didn't know whether it was the alcohol or what, but she didn't want to let him go just yet, feeling like their reconciliation had been cut way too short. She kept her eyes on him, stepping as close as she could be, her body touching his lightly and she leaned forward. Elena could hear Daryl's shaky breathing, could feel it against her lips but when she reached less than an inch away, she didn't go any further.

Majority of the time, Elena always made the first move, always had been the one to kiss him first but this time she waited. Allowing him the opportunity, giving him the step to take.

Something flashed over Daryl's eyes, something Elena recognized as thirst. Hunger. Lust. His blue eyes boar into hers and the stare was enough to make her body grow hot. His eyes lowered then.

Daryl's mouth covered hers, carefully. Softly. Unbelievably different than how he normally kissed her. Elena slid her hands up, behind his neck and she kissed him back.

And at that moment, somehow, somewhere, the gentleness that Daryl demonstrated fled. His left hand was then buried in her hair, his body jerking against hers. Elena melted against him. This felt more like Daryl. She felt his tongue lap against her lips and Elena parted them, allowing him in. Daryl's mouth moved on hers in a slant, deepening the kiss as he thrusted his tongue in and Elena could taste the alcohol he had drank. Daryl was then stepping forward, forcing her to move and she felt her back being planted hard against the side of the Dodge Ram.

Maybe it was that thrill of possibly getting caught at any moment, by either T-Dog or Rick, but the feeling of Daryl pressed so tight against her made her body throb, made the craving worse. Daryl's mouth on hers was savage and greedy but it was one hell of a rush. So filled with pent up sexual frustration that Elena let him take what he needed, because she needed this too.

When Daryl suddenly parted from her, Elena froze, feeling slightly perplexed at the sudden action. She opened her eyes, only catching a glimpse of him dropping his crossbow to the side when both his hands were on her, his mouth taking hers again. Daryl's hands clenched on her, clumsy and frantic, taking the control that Elena no longer had. And yet she waited, expecting there to be a another interruption, expecting him to stop for whatever reason, so accustomed with moments like this to never go as far as Elena wanted them to. But there was nothing. No footsteps, no voices calling their names. Just heavy breathing and Daryl feeding off of her and Elena allowing him.

Elena reached out with her arm toward the door frame that led to the frontseat of truck's cab, the fear of being seen beginning to invade her mind. She pulled at it in an attempt to reposition themselves, her lips currently immobile to suggest that they should continue this in the truck. She heard a growl form within Daryl's throat when she slipped an inch or two away from him to the side. His hands gripped her thighs tightly, never breaking the kiss, and before she knew it, he hoisted her into the frontseat, slamming the door closed behind them and wasted no time settling himself on top of her.

Elena ripped her lips away from his, to catch the breath that Daryl had taken and he moved on, his lips on her jaw then down to her neck where he sucked. Hard.

Elena's eyes shot closed and she arched against him, the pleasure hitting her so swiftly, she felt light headed. She didn't dare credit the alcohol for that. She could feel his teeth on her skin afterwards, the nips he gave her each sending a sharp spark through her body. Elena tried to gather as much focus as she could, moving her hands to the collar of his flannel shirt. She was only able to loosen up one button when Daryl's hands were suddenly on her wrists, shoving them back and pinned them over her head. His lips were on hers again and she almost whimpered.

It had been such a long time since she'd done this, her body feeling a lot more sensitive to the touch, but Elena knew that their foreplay had already been outside the truck.

Lifting her hips, Elena grinded against him, trying to snap that control he still had because he wasn't going fast enough for her, and the waiting was going to drive her insane. Daryl grunted in that instant, taking his lips from hers, his teeth clenched, jaw tight. His hips bucked against hers again, and Elena could feel him hard against her. Her breath suddenly went lost.

His hold on her wrists loosened and Elena pulled at them, reaching for the front of his pants. But Daryl pushed them away, unfastening his pants himself. Elena had to inhale as he quickly unbuttoned them and pulled at his zipper. His hands were suddenly on her then, moving so quickly they could be considered clumsy as he grabbed at the front of her jeans. He got them undone, and pulled them down far enough.

Judging by the way that Daryl didn't even bother trying to discard all parts of their clothing, Elena wasn't the only one thinking they weren't going fast enough. Daryl flattened his entire body against her, his head lowered against the space beside her cheek. She could feel his hot breath on her neck while his hands slid momentarily under her shirt, over her stomach, his calloused fingers reaching down to her underwear. He moved them aside and he suddenly eased in her.

Elena threw her head back against the seat, a mix between a moan and a gasp escaping her lips. The heat between them was unbearable and the sensation of him entering her brought a shock of electricity through every bone in her body.

It was faint but because Daryl's lips were next to her ear she could hear him let go of a staggered groan that immediately turned into a wince when she supposed Daryl gritted his teeth together. Daryl moved up in her, driving Elena so high that she clenched on him tightly, her nails digging into his leather biker vest.

She had been waiting for this for so long, it almost felt unreal. Unbelievable. Incredible.

Daryl's hand was in her hair again, clenching as he pressed his cheek against hers. His thrusts were slow but deep and she couldn't even utter a sound. Her breathing was harsh, her eyes pinched tight, the pleasure hitting her in waves. Her body was on fire underneath him and if Elena even cared to look, she knew the windows of the cab would've been fogged up by now.

Elena shifted, trying to move her hips with his with what little room she had and Daryl's pace gradually got faster. And she held on, her toes curling in her boots. Daryl's other hand grabbed her side and Elena winced. His hold was on her lower ribs, pressed against her bruise. She knew the pain would have been a hell of a lot worse if Daryl wasn't already sending her to euphoria, assuming that he had in the moment forgotten about her injury. She tried to ignore it, letting the pleasure completely mask any concern about it. Even if she wanted to stop him, her willpower to do so wasn't even existent.

Elena didn't know how much longer she could last, the sensation Daryl was giving her driving her so far she nearly forgot where she even was.

Then, her body suddenly went taut, arching against him as she was slammed with the most powerful orgasm she had ever experienced. Elena cried out and Daryl slapped his hand over her mouth, her moan muffled against his palm, stopping it before it could be heard from outside. The feeling lasted long enough before she went slack, her whole body numb.

Daryl tried to hold it, tried to last a bit longer, wanting to feel her snap underneath him just one more time, but it had been so damn long since he had done this. He could only handle a couple more trusts with her tight around him before he let go, his body going rigid, finally finding that sweet release that he had been waiting a hell of a long time for.

They laid there, their heavy breathing the only thing heard inside the truck, a sheet of sweat over top of them, their clothes sticking to their skin. Elena opened her mouth, trying to manage a set of words to put how the experience felt in a coherent sentence. But nothing came out. Nothing really needed to be said.

She closed her eyes, tried to steady her breathing. She felt Daryl lift off her slowly, the heat of him no longer suffocating her. And she listened to him as he expelled a sharp breath. She wanted to look at him but her eyelids felt glued and her mind was so muddled from the exertion and the pleasure had devoured every ounce of energy she had left. Her body relaxed and sleep came to her so fast, so instantaneous. Elena forgot what that was even like anymore.


	19. Chapter 19

**So, um don't mind me, I'm still an emotional wreck from last weeks Walking Dead episode. For those who haven't seen it, I won't spoil it for you but I will say, don't watch it! Not unless you want to get your heart emotionally stomped on...Okay, lol I'm being awfully dramatic. Anyway, I'm gonna start by saying, bet you guys liked the last chapter, eh? Eh?! :P This one is shorter than the last two but it's purely Elena/Daryl. The next chapter I promise you will be a reallyyyy good one ;) for now, enjoy this emotional roller coaster known as chapter 19.**

**Thank you to the new followers and the reviews. Absolutely love you guys. Was listening to 'Please Don't Go' by Barcelona while writing this. :)**

**I take no credit for characters with an exception to my OC's.**

* * *

What the hell had he done? What the hell was he _thinking_?

That was it, Daryl wasn't thinking, Daryl wasn't thinking at all. And he was completely and utterly furious with himself. He was such an idiot, so wrapped up in own selfish desire that he did the one thing he told himself he'd never do to her.

He rushed into it, he let his self-control snap. He took advantage of her, _used_ her—had her like the women he'd been with before. Every move identical, down to the very core. From hurried actions to keeping their clothes on, as if he wanted to get it over with, just like the others. Daryl couldn't even face what he had done. He was so goddamn ashamed, mortified.

In the moment, Daryl wouldn't deny it, it felt good, it felt _damn_ good, to finally completely have her. No interruptions, no asshole ruining what he wanted to do with her for a long time. And that was the worst thing that could have happened.

Last night, Daryl had only meant to kiss her, knowing full well that's what she wanted from him, that's what she was urging him to do. And after what had happened, with the things he said to her and hurting her, Daryl gave in, relieved that his smart mouth hadn't screwed up the one he had been missing his entire life. Someone who actually thought he was worth _something_. He tried to go slow, tried to be gentle for once, tried to do it in a way Elena was use to. He was suppose to end it there and pull away, because he knew if he continued he wasn't going to stop. But when her hands were on him and her body responded, Daryl's mind completely went black.

When he realized what he had done, it had been too late.

As soon as he had recovered, as soon as the amazing release left him and he lifted himself to catch his breath and remember where he was, reality slammed him back down violently. Daryl had taken a sharp breath, seeing her underneath him. His entire body had gone cold. He had gazed down to her, as much as he could have seen in the dark. Her skin was glossy with sweat, strains of her hair sticking to her face from the exertion. Her head was tilted toward him, her lips parted, swollen from him feasting on them and her eyes firmly closed. With the lack of sleep Elena had, she had fallen asleep in that instant. Viciously, Daryl had taken the last ounce of energy she had left.

For a long while he hadn't known what to do. Seeing her, knowing exactly what he had done. Daryl had to get the hell out of there. And in an attempt to redeem himself, to take care of her, which had been too little, too late, he had found her hoodie and draped it over her so she wouldn't catch a draft and get a cold. After that, he hadn't had the strength to look at her anymore, the images of what had happened minutes before clouding his mind, driving him so much deeper in the hole of regret that Daryl walked out, out of the Dodge Ram, instantly grabbing his crossbow he had left on the ground and walked. Left. Leaving the mistake behind him. Having had satisfied his sexual frustration wasn't even there anymore, Daryl's mind immediately claiming that he didn't even deserve it.

And the worst of it all, the one thing that he knew was going to haunt him over all this is that he had hurt her. Physically _hurt_ her. At the time, he hadn't thought much of it, too focused on what it felt like to be inside her that he didn't completely register the pained sound she had made when he grabbed and held her. He was so damn ignorant, how the hell could he forget about her bruised ribs?

Now, Daryl was out in the woods, had been out there since first light.

After the long walk he took in the night, without anybody being aware, Daryl found Rick still on watch duty. Rick usually took the longest shifts, taking more responsibility for the safety of the group than anyone else. Daryl had meant to talk to him sooner, but with what had happened between him and Elena...

Daryl offered him the plan to hunt in the early morning, catch any prey that was out there. He mostly wanted to go as an escape, to run away from his problems as cowardly as it was. Hunting always had a way of shutting down his mind, like flipping a switch. But as he was out there, combing the woods for meat, Rick following quietly behind him, Daryl couldn't damn well focus.

By now, Daryl would usually have at least a couple of squirrels tied around his shoulder but for the likes of him, as much of an experienced hunter as he was, he kept seeing the movement in the distance too late, squirrels scurrying up in the trees, hidden behind the branches before he could even aim and pull the trigger. The memory of last night weighed him down, driving him to the point of frustration and impatience. Because of his mistake, he couldn't do the one thing he was good at.

Daryl saw something flicker in the corner of his eye, and he aimed in the distance, forcing himself to concentrate, to keep his mind in the task he put on himself. And when he pulled the trigger in that instant, he clenched his teeth. The arrow pierced into the bark of a tree, missing the squirrel by barely an inch. The squirrel scurried off.

His grip on his crossbow tightened and he lowered it, finally straightening up and bringing a hand to his face, rubbing at his eyes. When he heard a rustle behind him, Daryl stiffened, turning his head only slightly and taking his hand away from his face, his eyes meeting Rick's.

Rick stared at him, his eyes narrowed with speculation and what could only be considered as bewilderment. Daryl's lack of concentration had stunned him, confused him and Daryl felt cornered in his calculating gaze. Looking away, Daryl inhaled.

"Should be headin' back," Rick said after a while. "It's gettin' late."

Daryl didn't say anything, only listened as Rick moved, his boots brushing through the leaves behind him. He stared hard in the distance, but his vision was else where, his mind altogether lost and he felt a sudden anxiety begin to settle. His moment of escape had come to an end and now he was forced to head back to the group, to the regretful mistake he knew he couldn't avoid.

* * *

Elena could see the light behind her eyelids and she grimaced, the annoyance of it forcing her to give in and finally open her eyes. She blinked a couple of times, her vision a bit blurred at first as she focused ahead of her at the Dodge Ram's glove compartment. She stared at it for a long while, her body curled up on the frontseat, huddled underneath her hoodie.

Elena's brows lifted in that instant, realization striking her, ridding away the sleep that was fogging up her mind. She turned in her position, looking behind her at the small space between her back and the backrest. Elena lifted her hand to the space, her fingers touching cold leather and she frowned.

Daryl had been gone for a long time.

Sighing, she rested on her back and stared up at the ceiling, settling her arm over her stomach and she suddenly cringed. Her body shuddered at the brief touch of her elbow touching her side and she furrowed her brow in confusion. Her ribs hadn't hurt like that in a while, why the sudden pain? Elena let her face soften then as she remembered in detail the events of last night.

Even now, Elena had no way of describing it. But she felt completely relieved, completely refreshed. And maybe her side was hurting like hell from the aftermath of Daryl's grip he had on her last night, but it didn't change the fact that last night was nothing short of what was meant to happen. Finally.

Elena lowered her eyes to her hoodie draped over top of her. She didn't remember grabbing it. Maybe she had in the middle of the night, too half asleep to take it into memory. Finally sitting up, Elena rubbed her eyes and ran her hand through her hair, her fingers getting caught in the tangles. She adjusted herself in her seat, gazing into the rearview mirror for her reflection. Her hair was a mess of waves, but the dark circles that had been under eyes for weeks now looked less visible. And she just stared.

She had slept through the whole night without waking up once. It felt surreal, foreign to her but at the same time, she actually felt rejuvenated.

Trying to comb out the tangles in her dark hair, Elena caught something in her reflection and she tilted her head to the side, allowing a better view of her neck. Her eyes fixed on a spot on her skin, just below the corner of her jaw. A deep purple bruise was there, not big in size, but not exactly small either. And it marked the exact spot where Daryl's mouth had been.

Elena grimaced, bringing her fingers toward the damaged skin. Could she hide it? Combing her hair to one side, she began braiding the strains before tying it up with the hair tie on her wrist.

Then, a knock came at her window.

Jumping at that instant, Elena shot her eyes toward the passenger window and she blew out a breath. Glenn stood outside, beaming at her. She took one final look in the mirror, making sure Daryl's mark was well hidden underneath her hair and she reached for the door.

"Is everyone already awake?" Elena asked him when she closed the door behind her.

"Yeah, T-Dog said you were still sleeping so no one wanted to wake you." Glenn smiled again. "C'mon, we're getting a bite to eat before Rick and Daryl get back."

When Glenn began walking, Elena followed along stride with him. "Where'd they go?"

"Hunting. They've been out there for a while, they should be back soon."

Elena nodded her head slowly.

The others were standing nearby the Chevy Suburban and Hyundai, talking quietly. T-Dog stood away beside Carol from leaning on the Chevy, a big smile on his face as his eyes landed on Elena.

"Look who's finally awake."

Everyone turned at the sudden claim and Elena felt flustered at the attention. To them it was an unlikely occurrence that she would be the last one to wake. Elena was usually the second one up, if not the first. Everyone was well aware of her sleepless nights.

However, as embarrassed as she was, each member of the group gave her a look of warmth and she allowed them a small smile. Lori then lent her a bag of bread crackers and Elena took it, leaning against the Chevy between her and Maggie. After the long night, Elena didn't realize how hungry she was, the taste of something so plain immediately satisfying her.

"Hey, what's that?"

Elena froze when Glenn asked the question, lifting his hand and pointing his finger toward her neck. She brushed his finger away in that instant and Glenn raised his brows at her.

"Glenn, would ya let her eat?" Maggie scolded him and rolled her eyes.

"Geez, you'd think after a goodnight sleep you wouldn't be so cranky," he remarked, and dismissed it.

Elena had to stop herself from letting out a sigh of relief.

"Maybe she's hungover," T-Dog inquired with a laugh.

Glenn gazed at him. "Hungover?"

"Yeah." T-Dog tilted his head toward Elena. "Caught her and Daryl sharin' a bottle of whiskey last night."

Two sets of eyes peered at her, and they both came from Glenn and Maggie. She only glanced but it was enough for Elena to know that they were calculating that information in their heads. To them it meant Daryl and her were talking again, to the others it didn't mean anything deeper than what T-Dog had said.

"As I recall, Daryl and I only shared half the bottle and we left you with the rest," Elena said as a way of steering the conversation away from her.

"And that was _damn_ kind of you."

Elena rolled her eyes and T-Dog let out one of his contagious laughs and she bit back a smile.

"Maybe that's what you needed, huh? Some alcohol." After Glenn's remark, he gently tapped Elena's side as a teasing gesture.

Elena sucked in a breath, flinching hard and threw her arm up over her side.

Glenn's smile immediately left his face and his eyes widened before he lifted his hands, but he stopped himself from touching her. "Shit, I'm sorry! Did I hurt you?"

Pinching her eyes shut, Elena shook her head and waited for the wave of pain Glenn induced to fade away. Her ribs were a lot more sensitive than she expected them to be.

"You okay, honey?" Lori asked beside her and Elena felt her hand on her shoulder.

"Yeah," Elena managed to say and opened her eyes.

Hershel stepped forward, his white brows furrowed. "It's been just over three weeks, they shouldn't be painin' you this much."

Elena waved her hand, still keeping the other to her side. The ache had dulled down and she straightening again, inhaling carefully. "No, I just accidentally slept on my side last night. My fault."

Hershel's expression softened and she supposed her lie was convincing enough.

"They're back."

Everyone turned at Beth's voice, seeing Rick approach in view as he climbed the slope onto the road, his sniper rifle rested against his shoulder. He wiped his hand over his forehead, running his fingers through his hair and smoothing the strands that had gotten out of place. Elena furrowed her brow, looking behind him as he walked but let herself calm when she saw Daryl in the distance, reaching over the slope, his crossbow raised as he climbed. Elena watched him as he walked, his steps slow, but his head bowed.

"We're headin' back on the road," Rick informed quietly before he moved to the back of the Chevy, throwing his rifle in.

The group filed out to their respective vehicles but Elena lingered for a minute, her eyes still on Daryl. He went straight toward his brother's motorcycle, not a glance in anybody's direction, and straddled the bike, kicking start the engine.

Elena felt a tug on her arm as T-Dog passed her, jerking his head to the Dodge Ram. She took a final look on Daryl, her brows furrowed before turning and reaching toward the truck.

During the ride back onto the road, Elena tried to not let the thought of Daryl bother her. But considering the fact that T-Dog wanted to be the one to drive and Elena was now too wide awake to drift off even for a couple of minutes, there was nothing there to occupy her mind. In all honesty, what was she expecting? After last night she knew she wasn't going to wake up with Daryl beside her, not with T-Dog coming back from his shift and seeing them. That much she understood. And she supposed she shouldn't have expected something from Daryl when him and Rick got back from hunting, not like they had the time to talk with Rick wanting them to get back on the road. And yet, for some reason, something about his posture on his walk back struck her as being odd. Elena wasn't quite sure as to why.

Possibly because of the small voice in her head, the same one she always remembered coming back when she entered a new relationship with someone. It was the voice of doubt, the voice of question. Was she doing things right? Was this person worth her time? Would this person hurt her in the future? Elena hadn't thought much of it, considering the future she had now was foggy at best. Anything could happen at any moment and she wouldn't have childish denial about that. As much as it was emotionally staggering, she could die today, tomorrow, next week, maybe next month. No one knew. So, being with Daryl was sort of an open door, an alternate dimension from the thoughts of impending death and the struggle of survival. Daryl was her release from the world that was now. He was the one that preserved the person she was today instead of becoming ultimately withdrawn after Toni's death. It could have happened and Elena was thankful it hadn't, because she knew she wouldn't have the reason to fight as hard as she does now to stay alive.

However, after last night, that small voice had returned, less quiet than it normally was. After you spend the night with someone it always changed things, for better or for worse. By this point, with the events Elena and Daryl had gone through, she wasn't entirely sure which direction they were headed. In consideration, last night could have been labelled as 'makeup sex', if Elena really wanted to put a name to it. But it wasn't just that. It was also a big step for the both of them, a leap that they both have been insistent to make. And now that they had, what did that mean for the both of them?

After a few hours drive give or take, the group reached along a road that branched out toward a dirt path. Down the path and through the trees, a tall house stood and Rick slowed down the Chevy along with the others. Elena leaned and peered through the driver's window with T-Dog.

"Lootin' here?" T-Dog said, the question rhetorical.

Elena reached for her bag in the back, mindful of her ribs and stepped out of the truck. She reached the middle of the road along with Rick who stared down the dirt path, hands on his hips.

The house appeared to be a small estate, maybe once used as a cottage, too prettied up that you wouldn't think the world had ended at all. As far as her eyes could see, there were no vehicles on the property, which could possibly mean a hopeful outcome or none at all.

Rick turned his eyes from the house, nodding his head toward Daryl who was just getting off his brother's bike.

"T, Elena, Daryl and I will go in," Rick informed. He turned his eyes on Glenn who was stepping out of the Hyundai. "Glenn, you and Maggie stay by the cars. We'll let you know if we find more supplies than we can carry." Rick said it as a hopeful foresight, but his voice was less enthusiastic of the notion as it may have been in the weeks before. The group was never fortunate enough to find more supplies than they bargained for.

"Dad?"

Rick turned at his son's voice and shook his head at Carl's gaze. "You stay here, Carl. Keep your mother safe."

Elena gazed toward Carl as he pursed his lips but nodded his head, and she moved her eyes to Lori. She was still in the truck but staring at Rick, having heard his words. Her lips were a tight line, but her eyes shown subtle astonishment. Maybe it hadn't been over the fact that Rick told Carl to stay behind, but that he had addressed Lori in his order, which he hadn't done in a while.

Rick began moving, his Gator machete already in hand and the three followed his lead. Elena pulled out her gutting knife from her pocket, switching out the blade. Maybe to be in the safe side, she should use it as her melee weapon rather than her crowbar. She didn't know how far the sensitization of her ribs had gone and she cursed herself for not using the leftover numbing cream she had left. Elena just had to be careful, avoid leaning or touching her side against anything. She should be okay then.

Elena stared into Daryl's back as he walked alongside Rick. She was surprised at the fact that he hadn't said anything about her accompanying them, but she supposed that since Daryl was there, he had no need to refuse her joining in on the infiltration.

When they reached the wooden porch to the front doors, Rick peered in through the glass, his eyes scanning the dark interior as much as he could. He took a moment before reaching for the doorknob and twisted it. Elena got ready to grab her crowbar from her backpack until the door drew open with ease, it was unlocked. Rick pushed against it. Daryl entered in first, crossbow ready. Rick entered afterwards and T-Dog and Elena followed behind. The foyer was small and empty. At the left of them was a set of stairs leading to the upper level and an open doorway to their right that led to another room. The house was completely quiet.

Rick stepped in a little further, looking from the staircase to the doorway. He looked at the three and spoke in a hush tone, "Daryl and Elena, you take the upstairs. T-Dog and I will comb this level."

Elena nodded to Rick's order and turned to follow Daryl but he was already five paces ahead, halfway up the staircase. She took long strides in order to catch up just as T-Dog and Rick exited the foyer to the next room.

Daryl didn't say a word to her and he walked slowly, his boots creaking on the hardwood floors when they got to a hall. At that moment, Elena realized that he hadn't even looked at her at all through the morning. She parted her lips to say something, then decided against it. This wasn't the time to ask questions, they had a job to do first.

Daryl aimed his crossbow with ease, his shoulders hunched over as he crouched. He approached a door to their right, it slightly ajar. He kicked his boot lightly against it and the door moved, the hinges creaking. Daryl poked his head in before he pulled back and continued moving. Elena followed and when she passed the door, she gazed in. It was a bedroom, less personalized than others she had seen. Probably a guest bedroom.

Elena moved on just as Daryl opened another door to their left. Daryl continued walking but Elena stopped, seeing it as a bathroom. She stepped inside, looking around. It was small and not very lush but fortunately it looked undisturbed.

To the left was the tub, covered by a set of tacky plastic shower curtains. Ahead of her was a sink and a toilet to the right of it. And a mirror cabinet. Elena walked toward it, setting her backpack onto the closed toilet and her knife at the edge of the sink. Cabinets usually meant band aids, gauze, and prescriptions pills. Hopefully painkillers and more. Elena grabbed at the cabinet, assuming it to open easily, but the design was old and the sides of it were rusted. She pulled harder.

The cabinet opened in that instant, causing objects from within the selves to fly out, landing with loud taps as it bounced into the sink beneath it. A bottle of pills had fallen in the sink and Elena went to reach it.

Then, she heard the intake of a breath.

Elena shot her gaze toward her left, at the plastic shower curtains. She narrowed her eyes on them, but she didn't see them move in the slightest. At that moment, for some reason her mind wandered off to those old horror movies. The cliche, predictable thrillers where the serial killer hid behind the shower curtains, waiting for their next planned victim to enter the bathroom unaware of their murder that was about to take place.

Elena grabbed on the handle of her knife, holding it tightly as she took a step forward. Her left hand reached for the end of the curtain, her fingers grabbing a handful of the plastic.

What came next startled Elena in surprise, momentarily disturbing her readiness and caused a state of eventful urgency.

The curtain bulged toward her, the pole holding the plastic immediately popping out of the shower walls at the sudden pull. Something hard surged against Elena, falling on top of her. Her back landed against the tile floor beneath her, the handle of her knife that had been in her hand rebounding against the floor and slipping out of her grip.

She heard the hiss and growl above her before she felt something clamp against her arm. The hissing and growls were muffled then and Elena's eyes widened as she registered what the clenching on her arm was.

Her breath was lost and she brought her eyes toward her left forearm. The walker on top of her had its jaw tight around her arm and the only thing keeping from its teeth sinking and grinding into her flesh was the thickness of the plastic shower curtain that had been wrapped around it.

Elena didn't even have the time to feel relieved, looking for her knife that had been dropped while the walker was distracted, gnawing stupidly into the plastic of the curtain wrapped around her arm. Her knife was far above her head but Elena couldn't reach it and she feared that if she moved, the walker would be smart enough to take a bite out of her exposed neck instead of the arm in front of her. The walker clawed against the plastic, hitting hard against Elena's side and she cringed, the shock of pain touching her ribs and reaching through the rest of her body. The walker continued to push and Elena immediately reached around her back, grabbing the handgrip of her Glock 17 that was shoved in her waistband, switching the safety off with her chin and pressed the muzzle underneath the jaw of the walker, behind the plastic. She pulled the trigger.

The gunshot echoed harshly in her ears, followed after with a loud ringing. Elena tried to catch her breath, the dead weight of the walker on top of her causing a greater pressure against her side and she struggled to move.

When the ringing in her ears levelled, Elena heard fast steps trudge through the halls.

Daryl ran as fast as he could, his heart thudding violently against his chest as he jumped into the doorway where the gunshot had come from. Elena was on her back on the floor, a plastic shower curtain draped atop of her and a body of a dead naked woman on her, her jaws on Elena's arm. Daryl's eyes widened, his heart now beating in his ears and he instantly went to Elena's side. On closer inspection, Daryl had to fight a sigh of relief. The walker's jaws had been blocked by the plastic of the curtains wrapped around Elena's arm, and the walker was dead, limp. He pushed the body off her, lowering his crossbow at his side so he could pull the curtain off her also.

Elena was breathing heavily, her face contorted with pain and Daryl froze. She was sitting herself up, her hand holding her pistol to her side, leaning it away from the floor.

Daryl had his hands reaching toward her, but they wouldn't move, wouldn't touch her and a heaviness settled on Daryl's mind. Had it been any other time, Elena would have been able to stand up from the floor no problem, maybe only a small ache on her lower ribs but nothing more. Had it been any other time, she would be okay. But it wasn't. Not after last night.

Hearing a rush of thudding footsteps behind him, Daryl blinked, his eyes meeting Elena's who stared at him, her teeth biting her bottom lip, a question in her eyes. And severe confusion. And yet, Daryl still couldn't move.

Rick suddenly rushed passed him, to Elena, taking in the sight of the dead walker and the blood that splattered the ceiling and walls. He bent to her side.

"You alright?" he asked her quickly, his eyes concerned.

Elena didn't reply, her eyes still on Daryl's, and Rick followed her gaze. His brows furrowed but he returned his sight on Elena, moving to her other side and taking the pistol from her hand.

"Grab onto me," he said and wrapped her arm around his neck and pulled her onto her feet.

Elena winced fiercely, her eyes pinched tight, holding her ribs and Daryl felt an awful ache in his stomach at the sight. Rick took a step forward and Daryl ripped his crossbow from the floor, standing up and backing out of the bathroom.

"She okay?" T-Dog asked with concern when Rick pulled her with him out of the bathroom.

Rick answered his question with a look of uncertainty, looking down on Elena before he wrapped his arm around her waist, as carefully as he could away from her ribs and began walking down the hall toward the stairs. Daryl followed without a word.

At the last step, Elena's hand shot at the rail. "Wait just...stop."

Rick ceased his steps before he lowered Elena down on a sitting position. Rick bent on his knee to her level. Elena was crouched over, her breathing raspy and shaky. Rick sighed then and lifted his eyes.

"Daryl, go get Hershel. T-Dog, tell the others to move the vehicles in. We'll spend the night here."

T-Dog nodded in that instant, passing both him and Elena toward the front door. Daryl hesitated on his step, his eyes still on her. But he shook his head once, shifting his eyes away and followed after T-Dog.

* * *

"Well?"

Hershel sighed heavily, leaning his head away but his eyes still on the yellow bruise that blotched over Elena's lower ribcage.

Daryl had gotten Hershel as Rick had ordered while T-Dog informed the others they were sheltering in the cottage for the night. No one had refused at the suggestion, considering the house was a lot more cozy than any of the other places the group had stayed at. Rick had stood at Elena's side by the staircase while the others brought in the blankets and the bare necessities, Rick informing them to stay hidden away from the windows considering it was still light out. Glenn and Maggie had shown concern at Elena's state but Rick assured them she was alright for the time being and with that, they went with the others into the living space of the cottage while Hershel, Rick, Elena and Daryl stayed out in the foyer.

Elena had her hand holding the hem of her shirt, her head rested against the wall behind her, her hair out of its braid, wrapped around her neck as she sat in front of Hershel, Rick standing at his side, hands on his hips. Daryl stood by the staircase, his arm rested against the rail and one foot perched on the first step. He stood silently behind them, observing as Hershel investigated Elena's injury and what had caused the severe pain it produced. Daryl felt a tenseness on his shoulders, his head lowered in shame, but he wouldn't move, too admittedly worried about Elena to let his pride force him away.

"I don't see any changes," Hershel finally answered Rick. "But the injury is a lot more sensitized from the trauma." He lifted his eyes toward Elena. "Are sure you had only accidentally slept on your side last night? Is there anythin' else you might have done to stimulate the injury?"

Daryl went stiff at Hershel's words, lowering his foot from the step and straightening. Elena pulled her head away from the wall, looking back at Hershel, her lips frowning. Daryl saw her eyes shift, meeting his.

"No, nothing," she said.

Elena's brows were furrowed, her eyes glazed over from the pain she had suffered. Daryl couldn't dare look at her any longer, lowering his eyes, turning abruptly and stepping out the front door.

Daryl moved quickly off the porch, out to the dirt path. He didn't know where he was going, but anywhere was better than being in there, anything was better than seeing that look in her eye. He was such a worthless piece of shit. Elena had lied to Hershel and Rick on his behalf. Sleeping on it hadn't caused her ribs to worsen, _he _did.

Daryl covered his eyes with the palm of his hand, his head beginning to throb. Elena could have gotten bit today, could have been ripped apart had it not been for that shower curtain. One small materialistic thing that had saved her life. And Daryl had been the one to put her in that danger, he was the one that caused her physical vulnerability, he was the one that put her in that situation of being immobilized on the floor, too pained to force the walker off her. He was the reason for all of it. And he was the one that claimed taking care of Elena was _his_ job? Look what he had done.

"Daryl!"

He froze up on the spot, the call of his name instantly ceasing his next step. Had it been Rick's voice, Daryl would have kept going. Had it been Hershel's call, Daryl wouldn't have stopped. But it was neither, and _her_ voice carried toward him. Daryl had to swallow the bile that was stuck in his throat. He heard the foot steps approach from behind him and Daryl pivoted his body to the side, but his eyes lowered to the ground. He caught sight of her boots and he glanced up.

Elena walked toward him as briskly as she could, her hand carefully on her side and her steps slowed as she got closer. The same expression was on her face as it had been inside, but her eyes were big, riddled with confusion.

Daryl sucked in a heavy breath, instantly lowering his eyes again, unable to meet her gaze.

Elena took in his profile and she hesitated on her advance toward Daryl. His gaze was to the ground, his head slightly lowered, his shoulders tense, one hand holding the strap from his crossbow, and the other stiff at his side. She could see his lips parted, taking in even breaths and the unsettling sight of his profile and behaviour both attacked her with questions and possible answers.

"What..." Elena swallowed to strengthen her voice. "What was that earlier?"

In the bathroom, when Daryl had rushed in and came to her side she hadn't expected him to suddenly freeze up. He had just stared at her, inner turmoil in his eyes that Elena hadn't seen before. And even though he had reached for her, he wouldn't touch her and her witnessing this brought a heaviness in her mind. And now, after she had lied to Hershel about what had caused the worsening of her ribs momentarily, he practically ran out the door.

Daryl didn't say anything, only turned his head away but he didn't step away.

"Did I do something wrong?"

She could see him chewing the side of his cheek for a second, his eyes narrowing. And he did the slightest shake of his head.

"This ain't about you."

"_Bullshit_,"—Elena took a step toward him with sudden impatience, tilting her head—"you can't even look me in the eye."

Daryl exhaled a breath and Elena lifted her hand toward him and stopped, the answers to his behaviour nagging at her all the more. "This is about last night." She said it quietly and from the corner of her eye she saw Daryl's hand clench into a fist. "Isn't it?"

"It shouldn't of happened," he answered her, his voice quick.

Elena's eyes softened, frowning at his words. But she kept still.

"Why?"

"I rushed into it," he replied, then turned his head toward her, his eyes drifting toward her side that she still held. His eyes narrowed again and he met her gaze then. "I hurt you."

Elena inhaled, dropping her hand from her ribs. She did it as a sign, showing him that what he had done to her barely had an effect. Maybe it had hurt tremendously when the walker attacked her, even so when Rick had helped her up and taken her down the stairs but Elena didn't want to show that to him in that moment. She didn't want Daryl to let his doubtful thoughts completely disregard the next thing she was about to say.

"My ribs will heal. _This_,"—she gestured between them—"is all that matters to me right now."

But Daryl was shaking his head again. "I ain't worth it."

His voice was low but sincere. Why would he think of himself that way? Elena didn't understand. Even when she told him last night he was worth every decision she made to get to know him, it still hadn't changed his mindset, his strange emotional withdrawal that Elena was trying so hard to cut through. And after last night she thought she had, _at least_ had made a dent.

When he took a step back away from her, Elena immediately caught his arm. She wasn't going to let him go, not like this. "Please, Daryl. After everything we've gone through—especially after last night...don't pull away from me. Please?"

Daryl didn't reply and Elena grabbed the side of his face on impulse. Daryl flinched. But his eyes stayed steadily on hers and he didn't move away from her. He stared at her for a long time, his gaze appearing to be searching in hers. Elena didn't know what he was looking for but she didn't let her gaze falter. Then, she saw the muscle in Daryl's jaw tightened before he closed his eyes and lowered his head.

Elena let go of the breath she was holding, her hand cupping the side of his face still there and she rested her forehead against his. Neither of them said anything for a while, just stood like that in silence. After a moment, Elena made a move to lean away, taking her hand from his face, until she felt a grip on her wrist. Before she could open her eyes, she felt Daryl's lips on hers.

The touch was sensual, tender. Different. And the difference was that it was a cautious act of an apology from him. Elena moved her hand to cup the back of his neck when he let go of her wrist, his fingers burying into her hair as they normally did. But his mouth on hers didn't become fervent as she had expected. He was careful, slow, the complete opposite as he had been last night. And Elena assumed he was afraid of hurting her again.

Elena allowed him the guarded control he held, knowing well that Daryl needed it for his sake rather than hers.


	20. Chapter 20

**I have been wanting to write this chapter for such a long time, and now that I finally had, I went overboard. It turned it a monstrosity of a chapter that I thought to break it into two parts. I know how much long chapters are a great gift but there's so much going on here that I thought I give you guys a break to take in all that's going on in the halfway point. There's a hell of a lot of dialogue here, and a surprise for you guys. And I ended it as an appeal for suspense, because I am evil :P. The next part will come out soon I'm sure, I'm just about editing it now. I really hope you guys enjoy this one!**

**Thank you guys btw! I finally passed the 100 followers mark and I'm completely thankful. :D I'm glad that so many people are reading and enjoying what I got here. Reviews guys! I love feedback! Anyway, until next time, here's big bad chapter 20.**

**Theme for this chap is 'Stay' by Rihanna feat. Mikky Ekko. Damn are these lyrics Elena/Daryl's relationship in a nutshell.**

**I take no credit for characters with an exception to my OC's.**

* * *

All that could be heard within the lush woods were the short whistles of birds and the rasps of heavy breathing.

Elena clenched on Daryl tightly, his body pressed so tight against her, pinning her hard against the tree behind her. His hands roamed over her entire body, hungrily feeling every curve hidden underneath her clothing. He was mindful of her bruised ribs, gingerly avoiding that area altogether. Elena threaded her fingers into his damp hair, wet with sweat from their activity, the layers of clothing they wore no longer needed as a defence against the cold. The heat between them was enough to melt ice.

Daryl's mouth was on hers, bruising and wild, both of them vying for control. His tongue explored every inch of her mouth as his hands gripped tightly on her outer thighs, lifting her up hard against him. Daryl moved momentarily, his hips against hers causing a teasing grind. Elena ripped her lips from his, leaning her head back and moaned.

All this was so pent up with dark arousal and sexual deprivation that had accumulated over the past few days neither her and Daryl had any damn privacy. The sensation was forming worlds of excitement and although Daryl was stronger than her, Elena fought for control, wanting him just as much as he wanted her.

Elena and Daryl had gone hunting in the early morning, a suggestion that Rick had allowed. And they had done so at first, hiking through the woods, Daryl tracking the animals, Elena spotting them as he took them down with one pull at the trigger. They had hunted down three squirrels and a hare, and assuming that was the best they could do for the morning, Elena and Daryl had decided to return back to the group. But when the distance between the two of them and the parked vehicles drew near, Elena realized how little time they ever had being alone.

In that instant she had grabbed Daryl, her lips on his before he could react, and the spontaneous act had turned into this.

Daryl bucked his hips against her again and Elena felt a pulsing throb go into her entire body. Daryl's mouth moved against her and she could feel his teeth against her skin before he got to the crook of her neck, lifted her just a bit higher. His lips then closed over her skin.

Elena closed her eyes as he sucked, bringing that shock of electricity back. But she tugged on his hair gently, attempting to pull him back before he marked her again. The one he gave her days before had just faded, she didn't want to have to hide another one.

She brought her lips against his again as a sudden change of direction. He didn't refuse. She rocked her hips against his and Daryl expelled a sharp breath through his nose. His grip on her thighs tightened. They were so close, so ready. And their clothes were in the way.

Elena moved her hands down his chest, over the leather of his biker vest, down to his belt buckle. She unfastening it quick, then brought her hands to the hem of his shirt. She teased at the ends before sliding her hands underneath, her fingers gliding against his abdomen and his hot skin.

Daryl ripped his lips from hers.

His hands suddenly gripped her wrists, stopping them. Elena leaned toward his lips again until he jerked back a bit.

She stared at him oddly for a moment. "What's wrong?"

Daryl's eyes lowered from hers. Slowly, he pulled her hands away from him and he took a step back, his brow furrowed and lips parted.

"Daryl?" Elena called to him quietly.

In that instant, he let go of her, turning his back toward Elena and buckled his belt back up. Elena watched him incredulously, momentarily stunned when he bent, grabbing his crossbow he had left atop the leaves and the rope of animal carcasses he had hunted. Then he began walking away.

_The hell?_

Elena pulled herself from the tree behind her, grabbing her bag she had dropped to her side and throwing it over her shoulder as she jogged after him.

"_Daryl_."

He didn't respond, just kept walking.

"Did I do something?" she asked him, desperate to catch up, but his hurried steps kept him a few spaces ahead. "Tell me what I did."

Nothing.

"If this is about my ribs, they're _fine_."

Still, nothing.

"Daryl, would you just _talk_ to me?"

Elena made a move to grab his arm but at the brief touch of her fingers brushing his elbow, he swung his arm away from her.

"Jus' leave me be!"

Elena slowed when they reached the road and stopped following as Daryl continued his decent away from her. For that brief minute, she watched him, completely confused at his behaviour. Until her confusion turned into irritation quick. Blowing out a breath of frustration, Elena turned and continued on her left, taking her eyes off Daryl and headed away from his direction.

So much patience she had with him and yet, Elena knew that she was only human, and her patience could only go so far. Even after their talk at the cottage, the illusion of him not withdrawing from her faded quick. Whatever the hell that had been back there had done nothing but confirmed that what she said to him went through one ear and out the other. Apparently it didn't matter what she said, he was going to pull away from her anyway. And maybe the last time he pulled away it was because he was ashamed of hurting her, but this time it was something else. He reacted at her with anger, not remorse. The same anger he hid behind when he didn't want to be honest with her. Elena was so tired of seeing it.

Whatever had caused his behaviour Elena didn't have the energy to push and ask.

When Elena reached the Dodge Ram, she opened the door less gently than usual and retreated inside the solitude of the cab.

Daryl narrowed his eyes as he watched the door of the Dodge Ram slammed closed. He looked away and exhaled an exasperated breath.

Days of not being able to touch her, days of no damn privacy and the one time they did have it, he screwed it up. When Elena had grabbed him during their way back to the others all Daryl could think was that it was about damn time. He wasn't sure whether to initiate first considering Elena had been so focused on the hunt that he thought it inappropriate. Plus, supplying food for the group had a higher priority than satisfying their deprived needs for each other.

Daryl wasn't the only one who was feeling it, he saw the same need from her too. Although there had been an awkward space between them after they had spent that night together and Daryl felt responsible for sensitizing her injury, after their talk things looked like they could settle back to how they were. Daryl, however, had kept his distance, worried that he'd hurt her again if he couldn't control himself and Elena understood that he needed to. But after the days, where her injury had healed exceptionally, the discolour barely there on her ribs now, the worry about hurting her had faded, replaced with dark memories of that night and what it felt like with her underneath him, clenching at him, his mouth on her skin. Daryl couldn't help it, those memories devoured his thoughts and every time he looked at her, he knew she could see it. Something would always flash over her eyes and she'd never blink away.

The arousal had been subtle at first, but through the course of the long hours each day provided it kept building up, kept taunting him. He _wanted_ her again. And this time he had to do it properly. Maybe Daryl only did know how to do it in one way, as in getting it done quick, finish and leave, but those women meant nothing to him. _She_ did. And so, when Elena grabbed him, he thought it was the perfect opportunity to do it differently, make it last longer, to completely explore every inch of her body that he didn't get the chance to before.

That was until she slipped her hands underneath his shirt.

Daryl had never done it without his clothes on. He never wanted to. He didn't have the clear, soft skin other guys had. His torso was littered, roughed with scars and burns. Marks on his body that he knew he'd have to live with for the rest of his life, marks that would always remind him the childhood he had. The life he had before the apocalypse.

Embarrassment may have been apart of it, but it was the look that he expected when people saw the scars. That look of pity, that look of feeling _sorry_ for him. Daryl didn't want it. People didn't know shit about what he went through, and they'll never know. And the one thing he knew he couldn't handle was that look of pity from _her._ It was the reason he had stopped her the first time when she tried to unbutton his shirt. That time, Daryl figured that it hadn't really caused question from her because he was already moving quick on her as it was. But this time it did.

Her fingers had gotten too close to the scar he knew ran across his abdomen that he ripped them away and pulled away from her, walked away from her. And she thought it was because of something she did.

This had nothing to do with her, this was all Daryl. Maybe it had to do with bullshit insecurities but he knew that once she saw the scars she'd ask about them and Daryl wasn't ready. He wasn't ready to share that with anyone, too angered by the memory of how he got them that he lashed out on her when Elena tried to touch him. He knew she didn't deserve it, but it was the only way to push her far enough to keep her from getting into his head. From dipping into the memories that haunted him even to this day.

* * *

After putting the Chevy in park, Rick opened his door and stepped out, gazing toward the abandoned cars that littered the side of the road. There was only a few, rusted and creased with blood and dirt. Rick assumed they had been abandoned for a long while.

"We taking a break here?"

Rick turned at the sound of Glenn's question. He nodded his head toward him just as the others began stepping out of the cars. "We'll start by syphoning what's left in the vehicles first." He gestured toward them.

At that, Glenn nodded at him. T-Dog, Hershel and Maggie went ahead, grabbing the plastic gas canisters from the back of the Dodge Ram and a few hoses. Rick turned to Daryl and nodded his head to him to keep watch. He shifted his eyes toward Lori who was still inside the Chevy, resting her head against the palm of her hand. The pregnancy had been causing her to be a lot more exhausted in the past few days and he thought it better that they squeeze in more breaks through the hours.

From the back of the truck, Rick grabbed his rifle, stepping out onto the road further, a few paces away from Daryl. He blew out a breath momentarily, listening as the others got to work on the vehicles, Carol, Beth and Elena already scrounging up what was left inside of them. Carl was suddenly at his side then and Rick gazed at him briefly. He was looking up at the sky.

"Think it's gonna rain again?" his son asked him.

"Just might."

They were at the brink of winter, but the temperature wasn't yet cold enough for the snow to fall. They hadn't seen the sun for a couple of days, the clouds settling in. Rick supposed that Global Warming was a real thing, considering that in the month they were in it should have started snowing by now. He wasn't complaining in the least. He knew that as soon as the snow would start falling, the desperation of finding a permanent home would be a lot more prominent for the entire group. However, they weren't ready yet. They needed to horde up more food, more supplies, warmer clothes. They needed enough in case the snow forced them to hold up somewhere for longer than a couple of days they usually stayed in shelter.

The travelling from day to day was starting to exhaust the group and it showed. No one was having a decent nights rest without having to keep one eye open at night and Rick had pushed the group forward in order to scout areas and clear them of walkers in order to scavenge the necessities they needed. Normally it was him, Daryl, Elena, T-Dog, Maggie and Glenn that he had doing the most work, as if they were his top soldiers. But Rick knew that he needed to get the others up and ready to defend themselves, God forbid if anything were to happen. Everyone needed the training.

Rick scanned his eyes through the woods by the road. The road ahead broke into two directions. Forward, which they were headed to afterwards, and to the left. Through the trees he could see some buildings that stood. They were not tall, probably houses. Rick lifted his rifle, peering through the length of the scope where the glass gave him the distance to see. The buildings were houses, only a few of them. He scanned carefully, looking for any movement in the road that led to them. Not a walker in sight. He then heard footsteps approach his side and he lowered the rifle, glancing at Daryl.

"What we got?"

"Houses," Rick answered him. He looked back at the others, then returned his sights ahead. "We can let the others finish up here, take a car and check them out. They should be done by the time we get back."

Daryl nodded once. Rick lowered his rifle to his side and brought his eyes to his son. "Carl, you stay here, take point, help the others spot walkers while we're out."

"I can't come with you?"

Sighing, Rick bent down to his level, his gaze steady. "I need you here. You understand that, right?"

Carl watched him for a moment. "To keep mom safe."

Rick narrowed his eyes slightly, his words suddenly wavering on him, but he nodded before giving him a gentle slap on his arm and standing back up.

"Elena! Glenn!" he called out.

"Bringin' 'em with us?" Daryl suddenly asked him, his voice rough.

Rick furrowed his brow and met his eyes. "That a problem?"

Daryl narrowed his eyes, but shook his head, the muscle in his jaw clenching. "No."

Since the morning, when Elena and Daryl returned from their hunt, Rick had noticed a certain tension in the air. Rick didn't know exactly why or what had caused it. But what he knew is that it had something to do between the two. Ultimately, it wasn't any of his business, but if it influenced the groups responsibility in any way, it would be. Rick had his suspicions about them, about their actions toward one another. After all, a few days ago, seeing Elena chase after Daryl when he abruptly left the cottage wasn't exactly a sight someone can mark as being normal. Rick had an idea, but at the moment it wasn't important.

Daryl turned away in the instant that Elena and Glenn approached, and Rick tried to not let the action bother him.

"What's up?" Glenn asked.

"Saw some houses up ahead." Rick gestured behind him. "Daryl and I are gonna check it out, you're comin' so grab your gear." His eyes shifted to Elena. "Get as much gas as you can in the Dodge. You're drivin'."

The two nodded and set out.

The ride to the houses ahead was quiet and as Elena drove she kept glancing into the rear view mirror at Daryl's reflection in the backseat. He stared out the window, his attention on the woods to their right and she looked away.

When they had left, Daryl hadn't so much as looked at her and by this point all it did was piss her off. Elena never had a hard time keeping her temper in control, but lately the frustration building up had finally capped off. But this time Elena made a firm decision. She wasn't going to chase after him. She had done enough of that. It was Daryl's turn. Elena let the events of the morning be shoved to the back of her mind. Right now it wasn't her problem, it was Daryl's. Whatever had gotten into him was his responsibility to explain and Elena was tired of forcing answers from him.

When Elena steered the Dodge Ram into the road with the houses, she slowed the truck. There was only a few houses, all spaced graciously apart, with large front lawns. But the houses were old, each only one level from what they could see, but spread through their large given lands. Some of the driveways that led to the houses laid bodies. From what Elena could see, with the brown blood and the rips on their clothes, they were dead walkers. Elena braked and put the truck in park. Everyone stepped out and Elena grabbed her bag, equipping her crowbar and making sure her Glock 17 was settled tight in her waistband.

Rick motioned for the four of them to follow as he led the way toward the first house. He gazed momentarily at the dead walker by his boots as he passed and kept going. As Elena followed, she scanned it also. The body was of a dead man that laid faced down on the pavement, a rather large gash spread through the back of it's skull where she could see remnants of cracked bone and damaged brain tissue.

Elena looked away and around her for any sign of movement. She knew then she wasn't looking for walkers, but the possibility of other survivors around. Someone had killed these walkers, but who? She caught sight of a few cars that looked like they hadn't been in use for a while, which she supposed should have calmed her nerves a bit. Her eyes then settled on an ivory white truck. It looked like a Dodge Ram similar to the one she had but an older model. She could only see the back of it but the roof of the truck was equipped with search lights. She didn't remember ever seeing a Dodge like that.

Finally, when they reached the front door, Rick lifted his hand, ceasing everyone's advance. He looked back. "You know the deal. Split up in twos. Glenn and Elena, you two stick together." Rick then nodded to Daryl, who quietly kicked open the door and stepped in.

In the foyer was a mess of objects on the floor and broken ceramic that may have once been a decorated vase that had sat on the overturn side table. There were two doorways, one ahead that led down a hall and another to the right where Elena could see was a living room. Rick gestured to her and Glenn, then pointed his fingers to the hall, singling them to take that route. Glenn went ahead and Elena followed.

Elena kept with his quiet pace, far enough to not be in his way if he had to turn back for some reason but close enough so if she needed to she could be his quick back up in an emergency. But as they walked through the narrow hall, all appeared to be quiet. Glenn leaned into a couple of rooms, one that looked to be the laundry room, and one just a walk-in closet.

He continued to the end of the hall. To their right was an open door and Elena could see it as a very spacious kitchen.

"Glenn," she whispered to him and jerked her head.

Glenn looked in and nodded for her to go ahead.

Elena stepped into the kitchen. A couple of wooden chairs that had surrounded the kitchen table was turned over on their sides, some of them with broken legs. Elena couldn't tell whether the struggle in here had been recent or not but she moved around the room, investigating further. She kept her crowbar close to her side, scanning the cabinets above the counters and stove. They were left opened and from the distance she could see them half filled with cans and boxes. Elena stepped around the centre island toward the cupboards, looking through the shelves. Crackers, soups, boxes of pasta. For a second Elena couldn't believe her eyes. They actually found something more than they had in the past few days.

"Oh man," Glenn exclaimed. "There's actually food here?"

Elena began pulling the boxes and cans off the shelves onto the counter where she dropped her bag. Elena looked up briefly to the door to their left. It was slightly ajar, but the crevice between the door and doorway was too dark to see through. Elena looked at Glenn then as she unzipped her backpack. "That's probably the pantry. Maybe there's more things there."

Glenn didn't say anything, only approached the door. Elena looked back down, beginning to shove the boxes and cans into her bag. She heard Glenn creak the door open.

"Anything there?" she asked him and looked up.

Elena froze. Glenn stood in front of the door, his body stiff and eyes wide, staring down a twenty inch barrel of a shotgun aimed straight at his face. Glenn stepped back.

"No sudden movements."

The voice that came behind the door was deep, raspy. Male. Elena saw a leg step from behind the door and instinctively she grabbed her Glock 17 from her waistband, aiming toward the doorway. A man stepped out, tall and medium built. His hair was cropped short, his dark brows wrinkled as he stared hard at Glenn, his shotgun tight in his arms. His eyes caught sight of Elena's pistol and shifted his aim on her.

"_Wess_." the man suddenly shouted in a hushed tone behind him and it was that, that made Elena realize the door didn't lead to the pantry. From behind the stranger's legs she could see the top step of a staircase. It led to a cellar.

Elena heard hard footsteps come from behind him before a man jumped out, a hammer in one hand and a pistol in the other which he immediately aimed, from Glenn to Elena. The guy was a lot bigger than the other one, his bald head shiny with sweat.

"Where the hell is McClane?" the man with the shotgun asked toward the man Elena assumed was named Wess.

"Still down there—"

Elena moved on her heel and immediately stopped when both guns were aimed suddenly on her.

"Not one more step, sweetheart," the man with the shotgun said. "Put the gun down."

Elena inhaled a shaky breath but she didn't lower her pistol. She knew if she did both her and Glenn were dead. For a moment, Elena glanced in the corner of her eye at Glenn who kept his hands outstretched, his Parang still in hand. He was taking unsteady breaths, and quickly gazed back at her.

Elena tried to think. She could pull the trigger now, take down one of the men in her sights. Elena had enough practice now that she knew from this distance she couldn't miss her target. But, although she might be able to take down one, what would stop the other from pulling the trigger on her? Elena had never killed a living person before and that thought sat heavily on her mind. However, these men didn't know that and she couldn't allow them.

She kept her aim tight and steady, her eyes never blinking away from the two men. In that second, Elena knew she had no options out in front of her and all she could do was prey that Daryl and Rick would hear the commotion and find her and Glenn in the dire situation they were in.

* * *

Daryl moved passed the living room, his eyes narrowed to the carpeted floor as he walked.

Something just didn't seem right ever since he saw the first puddle of blood that had been soaked into the white carpet. It wasn't a big puddle, more like a couple of drops, and it carried, spreading out in a trail through the living room. Daryl knew it wasn't enough blood from a wound and the only explanation he had was that it was blood dripping from an object. Not a person, not a walker.

"Daryl."

Turning, he saw Rick standing passed the couches where the living room molded into a large dining room. Daryl made his way over, gazing down at what he was inspecting. Behind the table and chairs was a body, and the trail of blood Daryl had seen before led from it. A puddle of blood was spread underneath it and the greyed skin and ragged clothes was enough evidence for Daryl to know it was a dead walker. Daryl bent, looking over the blood and the wound on the side of the walker's head. A hole was drilled straight through but that wasn't all he was looking at. The flesh around the wound was shiny, wet. Fresh.

"It was killed recently," Rick whispered.

Daryl exhaled, still staring at the body. "This don' feel right—"

"I ain't _playin'_ with you! Put the gun down!"

Both Daryl and Rick straightened at the unfamiliar voice. Glancing at one another quickly before they broke into a run, toward a doorway from the dining room that led to a hall where the shout carried from. Across from it was an open doorway to the kitchen. Daryl caught sight of Elena's back first, to Glenn a few paces away from her, his hands lifted in surrender. Then, to the two armed men.

Daryl's heart began thundering at the realization of one of the guns aimed toward Elena and he sprinted forward, his crossbow raised.

"Best be puttin' that gun down," Daryl said, his tone dangerous, manoeuvring further around Elena and slightly in front of her, shielding her, the events of the morning completely erased as unimportant at the sight of her in danger. Briefly, he heard her let out a short breath of slight relief.

"One more move and ya get a twelve gauge round to the chest, boy."

"You'll get an arrow to the head 'fore you even pull the _trigger_."

"Want to bet on that?"

"Looks like you're out gunned." Rick stepped forward, his python drawn and hammer pushed down, the cylinder lined up with the barrel. "Really wanna take that chance?"

The man holding the shotgun tilted his head silently, his voice barely a whisper toward his companion beside him. "Wess, _get_ McClane up_ here_."

"Whoa, whoa." Daryl took a step forward when the man named Wess made a move to step back. "Easy now."

He faltered, the muscle in his jaw tightening.

Then, he heard the stomping of footsteps behind them.

"The hell is goin' on—"

A third man jumped out, younger than the others. His eyes were stunned for a moment when he cut off his question, registering the sight in front of him. He suddenly pulled out a 9mm pistol from the holster on his waist. Daryl tensed up, stepping further in front of Elena, the third gun making him slightly nervous. More for her than anything else.

"Who the hell are these guys?" the man asked, switching his gaze from Glenn to Rick then to Daryl. When his eyes drifted to Daryl he suddenly did a double take and stared.

Daryl tightened his hand on the foregrip of his crossbow, his eyes narrowed on him. But the man's eyes were wide, his pistol in his hand reluctantly lowering in the slightest. It was then did Daryl realize the man wasn't looking at him, he was looking behind him, passed his shoulder.

"_Elena_?" Everyone hesitated at the misplaced question, confusion set in everyone's eyes, including the men in front of them. "Elena Lima?"

Elena furrowed her brow, her name being said by the unfamiliar voice causing her to freeze up on the spot. The guy was staring at her, his pistol no longer much of a threat considering he didn't have attention in his aim anymore. Elena tried to take in his profile, his dark blond short messy hair, his six foot frame and his young face in which looked less boyish with the scruff that had grown over his jaw and cheeks after days without shaving. And yet, nothing about him she recognized. That was until she settled her sight on his eyes. In the little light, Elena could see they were a pale green, wide with astonishment and yet they were soft. _Soft_. Why did that bother her?

"McClane, man, the hell has gotten into you?"

Wait. What was his name?

Elena sucked in a breath. Her eyes widened.

_Holy shit._

She knew who he was.

Elena opened her mouth, her voice lost at first. "_Nathan_?"

At that moment, everyone's eyes were on her. Rick at her side, Glenn just beside him and Daryl, who glanced at her over his shoulder.

A brief smile touched Nathan's lips and he dropped his pistol to his side. There was a long pause of heavy silence with a large mix of bewilderment.

From the corner of her eye, Elena could see Rick staring hard at her. "You know him?" he asked, his voice hushed.

When Nathan finally took his eyes away from hers, the brief smile leaving his face, which suddenly became vacant of expression, he gazed toward the other two men.

"Pike...Wess, man, put the guns down."

"Man, we were here first. They had their guns on us!" the guy that Elena presumed as Pike practically shouted.

"You're the one who jumped out with a shotgun to my face!" Glenn exclaimed.

"Seriously, man, you ain't innocent either. Your lady friend had a pistol to my face too."

"Put the gun down, Pike," Nathan said again.

"Why? So they can kill us point blank? Hell no. The shit in here is ours."

"You three the ones that took down the walkers outside?" Rick suddenly asked, his voice low.

"Walkers?" Wess questioned, cocking a brow. "You mean them biters? There was a few pissin' about outside. We take them out before we go in the houses."

"Wess, _shut up_." Pike gazed back at him fiercely. "These assholes don't need to know our game plan."

"How many supplies are here?" Rick continued.

"Ain't gonna tell you shit—"

Nathan stepped forward, interrupting Pike who stared at him dangerously. "Guy who owned this house was hording canned food in the cellar. The other houses are empty."

"McClane, you idiot—"

Nathan suddenly turned toward him, grabbing the barrel of his shotgun where he forced it down, ripping it out of his grip and shoving him back. "I _thought_ I told you to put the gun down."

"I don't give a shit who put you in charge, man. We don't know these assholes."

"I know _her_."

"What's your _point_?"

"How about we make a deal," Rick said loudly as the two men stared down at each other. "No blood needs to be spilled."

"What kinda deal?" Wess asked.

"We'll take half the food in the cellar."

"Screw you, man!" Pike shouted.

Nathan stared at Rick for a moment, before exhaling. "It's a lot of food we'd be losing."

"I don't think either of us want a shootout, do you?"

There was a moment of silence where Rick and Nathan just gazed at one another. Pike looked toward Nathan, his face angry while Wess shook his head.

"Lemme have a talk with my men first."

Rick stared at him for a long time, his gaze never faltered, and it felt like ages before he finally spoke.

"Fair enough."

* * *

"We do this like the other times. We kill 'em. And finally get the hell out of here and meet up with Martinez. Plain and simple."

Nathan stared hard at Pike, the man leaning against the white Dodge truck.

The guy was an idiot, reckless and altogether unhinged. He was tired of having to watch him during their runs, knowing that one day he was going to do something stupid to get them all killed. Today could have been it.

"We're not gonna kill them," Nathan said, his voice firm.

"Honestly, McClane, I don't give a shit if she's a chick ya use to stick your cock in. Doesn't change anythin'."

Nathan narrowed his eyes. "Don't talk about her like that."

Pike shook his head. "The hell has gotten into you, man? Ya would've gunned them down without a second thought, now you're suddenly thinkin' twice?"

"Pike's gotta point," Wess said, twisting his pistol in his hand. "What're you thinkin'?"

Ultimately, their words were true. Since the past months Nathan had completely shut down emotionally, so driven with the thought of survival that his moral compass had shattered through the days. Nathan had nothing to really fight for anymore, nothing to push him to stay alive. But he was too much of a coward to end his own life, too weak to call it quits. And maybe it was because there was still a shred of hope in him, that maybe he'd come across someone he knew eventually.

However, that hope was dying that all it left was misplaced rage to what the world was. Until now. Until he saw Elena. At first glance Nathan didn't believe his eyes, wondering if he had finally fallen over the edge of insanity. He wouldn't have been surprised, with the things he had done. His conscious was no longer there and he supposed that's what made doing the things he did easier. And Nathan didn't have the ability to care how much of a monster he had become. He thought the man he was had died a long time ago, but seeing Elena had woken something in him, something he thought was long lost. Something that he didn't know he desperately wanted. Something that could make him _feel_ again.

When Nathan realized that Wess and Pike were watching him expectantly, he lowered his eyes, his jaw going taut. What he was about to say was going to be the last thing they would have expected from him.

"I wanna talk to her, convince her to come with us." He lifted his gaze. "Back to Woodbury."

"Ya gotta be kiddin' me!" Pike threw his hands in the air in exasperation. "We came here for an emergency supply run, not to pick up your ex-girlfriend from what? _High school_?!"

"Ya, man, I'm gonna have to go with Pike on this one." Wess crossed his arms. "Even if she agrees, you think the Governor is gonna open up the door for those assholes too?"

Nathan sighed, running his hand over his eyes. "No."

"So what's the plan?"

Nathan thought for a moment. He knew Wess for a long time, had been a good friend of his since shit hit the fan. He was the one that helped him get to Woodbury. He could have left him where he was, could have left him to die on his own but didn't. And now, knowing full knowledge what Woodbury was, and who its leader was, Nathan was shocked Wess took him in at all. The Governor put on a friendly front, a faithful one. Even had told him that he would be safe and could start a new life in Woodbury. That was a staggering offer that Nathan could hardly believe, but eventually Nathan realized he couldn't just be a civilian in that place. He knew he was long gone from being one. He wanted to help out on the runs, keep himself busy so he didn't have to think of the life he had completely lost. And at first it had been too much that Nathan bargained for.

The supply runs were more than just scavenging for items for the town, sometimes it was darker. The stunned realization of what the Governor did to the survivors they encountered, what he ordered his men to do, had completely changed Nathan himself. At first he was disgusted, out right appalled. The Governor was aware of this, and yet he had the malicious charm, this manipulative mindset that somehow he had his ways of convincing Nathan that what he was doing was the right thing.

Kill or be killed.

Nathan had to sleep on the thought, knowing now that Woodbury was nothing but a lie, that the Governor was a man mad with power. But he wasn't a victim. The Governor survived this long with the mindset he had. And Nathan supposed that Philip Blake was right. Kill or be killed. It went for the biters and for living people. If humans were a threat, you take them out, no questions asked. If they fought for the supplies, you kill them. Woodbury needed it to more than a couple of scavengers who's lives were bleak at best.

Nathan had killed men, and at this point he just couldn't care anymore. He had nothing left in this world, nothing he could care for. Not until today, not until fate had finally done something good for him, had something stumble in his way to realize there was something more he could work for than be a heartless murderer to biters and people alike.

Nathan straightened himself up, maintaining that position of authority he had worked so hard to obtain. "We make the deal, but keep an eye on the guys. I'm gonna talk to her."

Pike sneered. "You're gonna get us killed."

"Like you almost did?" Nathan addressed him. "We could've avoided this altogether."

"Yeah we _could've_, if ya weren't thinkin' with your dick!"

"Keep your voice down," Wess said then gazed toward Nathan. "Look, man I get it. You two use to have a history but shit like that don't matter anymore. We can't just change how we do things."

Wess was right. The only time they had taken in survivors were if only they were too weak, not at all a threat to Woodbury and its people. The men that Elena were with contradicted that and leaving Nathan with a terrible decision he knew he had to make. If Elena didn't come with him, he knew he couldn't let them go. But somehow Nathan was confident. He didn't recognize the men she was with, and maybe they were people she had met through this mess too. But finding someone you knew before the world had gone to hell? Why would you pass up the chance of letting go something that could never happen again? And with the history they had, Nathan knew it secured her possible answer.

Nathan let out a light breath, looking behind him momentarily down the road at the grey Dodge Ram where he saw Elena and the other guys talking.

He then nodded his head slowly, having to say something to his men to at least ease the confusion they set on him. "Give me a chance to talk to her. If she refuses, we do what needs to be done."

* * *

Elena couldn't believe it. She didn't think she'd ever see someone she knew before this whole mess started again, especially after Toni's death. And _Nathan_ out of all people? She hadn't seen him in years, which explained why she didn't recognize him at first. He changed a lot since the last time she saw him. But what the hell was he doing in Georgia? Wasn't he living in Arizona now?

"Elena."

Elena blinked at Glenn's voice, realizing his eyes were on hers and his brows was raised. Was he asking her something?

The four of them were outside by the Dodge, away from earshot of Nathan and the two other guys he was with that stood by the white truck Elena had suspected earlier. She knew the search lights equipped atop looked too out of place to be used before the end of the world.

When the deal was put on the table everyone had lowered their weapons, the danger long passed after the confusion of Elena's and Nathan's recognition issued. At this point, Elena assumed Rick thought Nathan was at least rational about the negotiation and allowed him to talk with the other men about it, having needing a private talk with Elena, Glenn and Daryl also.

"How do you two know each other?" Rick asked, possibly repeating Glenn's question.

Elena swallowed, putting her questioning thoughts to the back of her mind for now.

"His name is Nathan McClane. We went to high school together for three years 'til he moved. He was uh..." Elena stumbled on her words. In the corner of her eye she could see Daryl staring at her, his arms crossed over his chest, leaning against the truck. His presence made her uneasy and she thought twice before she answered the complete truth. "We were good friends."

Rick exhaled through his nose, his python still in his grip by his side. "High school was a long time ago. We can't be sure if he's the same guy you knew."

"Don' like the looks of the other pricks neither," Daryl chimed in, staring back at Rick.

"I dunno," Glenn said. "That guy...Nathan, right? He seems at least rational."

"That's only because he knows Elena," Rick answered him. "That man named Pike seems out of control."

"I think he would have shot us if he wanted to," Glenn tried to reason. "Elena's friend looks like he's the one in charge."

"I don't trust 'em." Rick ran a hand through his hair. "But if what they say is true and there's food left in the cellar..."

Elena furrowed her brow. "You're not suggesting..." She trialed off, her eyes wide.

Rick gazed toward her, the muscle in his jaw tightening. Elena didn't have to finish the question to know what he was thinking.

"We _can't_."

"Unless you know the other guys too... They're too unpredictable," Rick said, his voice low.

"And if they're willing to negotiate?" Elena inquired. "Lemme talk to him, I can figure this out so we can avoid a stupid gunfight."

"Nah you ain't."

Elena shot her eyes toward Daryl who's gaze was narrowed on her.

"Daryl's right," Rick agreed. "One wrong move and they can use you as a hostage, or worse."

"Nathan wouldn't—"

"Sure ya know pretty boy that well?" Daryl questioned her, his voice dark.

Elena didn't reply, her lips tightening.

"You know better than anyone, Elena. This world changes people," Rick whispered.

Elena opened her mouth to try to reason but decided against it. As much as she wanted to refuse that Nathan had changed enough to become an enemy, Rick was right. It had been a very long time since she knew Nathan that by present sense, she couldn't say she knew who he was anymore. But that softness in his eyes hadn't changed and she supposed that was the reason Elena didn't want to drop the subject. It was enough killing men that at first judgement they knew wouldn't have mercy, but killing someone Elena _knew_? That thought didn't sit well with her.

Rick stared at Elena for a long time, seeing the conflict within her eyes. He knew Elena didn't want to see anyone get hurt and he understood that. Seeing someone you once knew after what the world had become, you wanted to believe that they were still the same person. But sometimes you weren't that fortunate. Rick didn't know Elena's specific age, not that it really mattered, but if he had to guess she was probably in her mid twenties, which meant it had been seven years since she'd seen the man she claimed was a good friend of hers.

Seven years was a long time, a long time to change. And sometimes it didn't even take years for a man to change. Shane was prime example. In the course of a couple of months, Shane had become cold, heartless, practically dead inside, so driven with the thought that Lori was _his_ that the thought of killing Rick—a man who was like a brother to him—was his only option. This is what worried him. Rick wanted to believe Shane hadn't become the man he was, Rick didn't want to believe that he had sacrificed Otis. Rick didn't want to believe a lot of things. But by this time, now with the things that he had seen, what he had gone through, enough was enough. They couldn't trust anyone.

However, the fear and worry in Elena's eyes was evident and it was the same look he remembered seeing on her the day Toni died. That look of losing the last person you had in your life. Maybe it had been years since they've seen each other, but the sight of seeing someone you knew before this epidemic started created a new found hope. That sense of maybe not everyone you knew was dead.

The ideal plan was to kill the men, take what was left in the cellar. That was the ideal plan. But a contradiction was developing in Rick that he recognized. How much of himself could he lose before killing men that were in the way of getting what he wanted wouldn't even be a concern anymore?

When Daryl shifted, his crossbow raised as he moved a few paces away from the Dodge Ram, Rick craned his neck, hand already on the grip of his python, alarmed.

"That's far enough," Daryl said aloud.

A few yards ahead, Nathan McClane stood alone, away from his men that still stood by their truck. He lifted his hands in surrender, his face vacant of any expression which was one thing Rick worried about. He was unreadable, unpredictable but in the house he showed a sign of rationality.

Rick moved ahead alongside Daryl who kept with his aim but Rick didn't taking his revolver from his holster. McClane's men were by the truck watching, but neither of them armed, including McClane himself.

Rick lifted his chin as he stood straight, his gaze unyielding and he waited for the verdict.

"You got a deal," McClane said finally, nodding his head. "But on one condition."

Rick tightened his hold on his python, his eyes shifted from the men behind and back to him. From what he could see, there was no danger that he should defend himself and the others from. And there was something in McClane's eyes, something that Rick read as a possible plea. Not a demand. But a plea.

"I get to talk to Elena."

Rick narrowed his eyes on him, looking toward his waist which once held a holster with his pistol. But his weapon was no longer there and Rick couldn't see whether he had anything hidden on him. Rick could hear Elena take a step forward from behind him and he lifted his hand automatically. She ceased her steps. This is what she wanted, and yet, Rick was reluctant.

"Rick," Elena called out from behind him.

Rick took a step back, only half turning toward her.

Elena's eyes were big, watching him, asking him for the permission that she wanted. She wanted to avoid a violent altercation, a chance to talk to him to make sure the deal was set in stone and no one had ulterior motives.

"Lemme talk to him."

"_Hell_ no," Daryl said from beside her, his eyes hardening. His aim was still on McClane but his attention was fully on Elena now. "I don' trust 'im."

"I do," she replied, her eyes turning to Daryl's. Her brows were furrowed, her lips a tight line. There was a sense of control in her gaze, a sense of certainty. Rick saw Daryl narrow his eyes on her.

Rick was thoughtful for a moment. As much as letting Elena and McClane talk could create an unruly outcome, if they really had a strong relationship, Rick could trust that it was only a talk and nothing more. And if that was the case, he could use it to their advantage.

"I'm unarmed. Frisk me if you want, I just want to talk to her," McClane continued. And that was enough for Rick to make his decision.

"I'm allowin' it."

"_What_?" Daryl asked incredulously, his eyes on him.

Rick kept his tone hushed. "This gives us an opportunity to have him distracted while we take our share from the cellar. To keep an eye on him and his men. Gives us enough time to take it and go and avoid a fight." Rick looked toward Elena then. "You stay in sight of Daryl, no exceptions. This is how we do this, that clear?"

Elena nodded after a moment and Rick looked back at Daryl, his voice now harsh. "If he makes one move..."

"I got it," Daryl replied in that instant, gazing momentarily at Elena who frowned but didn't say a word.

Rick faced back at McClane. "We have a deal. You let us take our share and once we're done here, we're gone." Rick expected for McClane to say something further, but to his surprise, he only nodded his head. Maybe it was true, all he really wanted was to talk to Elena.

"Glenn," Rick called, jerking his head toward the house.

Elena watched them as they went, also keeping her attention toward the men that Nathan was with. As much as Elena trusted Nathan, she didn't trust them. But they didn't make a move, not one indication that they were up to something, just stood by the truck as if they were just there to relax and nothing more.

"What ya waitin' for? Go," Daryl said beside her suddenly, his voice husky but held a hint of sarcasm.

Elena gazed at him and he stared at her, annoyed. She wanted to be worried about his expression, about his sudden behaviour, but strangely Elena wasn't. Maybe she was still angry over the morning, that the thought of caring what Daryl thought of her talking to Nathan wasn't much of a concern. Nathan was a friend of hers, she didn't want to believe he should be seen as an enemy.

Deciding to ignore him, Elena turned and walked away from Daryl, toward Nathan who finally lowered his surrendered hands to his sides. The vacant expression that had been on his face suddenly turned into warmth, that same warmth that Elena remembered even from years back.

When Elena finally stopped in front of him, his eyes left hers, gazing passed her shoulder.

"You're friends don't trust me," he said softly.

Elena followed his gaze, knowing well that he was looking back at Daryl. Daryl had his chin raised, his eyes set in a leer, his hands tight around his crossbow. He was challenging him.

She took her eyes off him, returning them to Nathan. "They don't know you."

"Guess you're right." Nathan nodded his head slowly and looked back at her. The warmth spread over his features, the softness back in his eyes. A smile spread over his lips, one that was genuine, and if Elena remembered, had once made her knees go weak. "God, Elena...you have no idea how good it is to see you."

Elena didn't say anything, unsure of how to reply, but Nathan's smile never faltered. He gestured his hand toward the curb of the sidewalk, offering a more comfortable position. Hesitating for a moment, Elena sat and Nathan lowered himself beside her, a little closer than she had expected and she grew wary of Daryl watching them.

"You haven't changed, except maybe that you look more like a woman than the girl I remembered."

Elena grinned out of politeness. "I didn't recognize you at first in there." She gestured toward the house, then lifted her eyes to his scalp. "You grew out your hair."

Nathan chuckled slightly, running his hand through his controlled mess of dark golden locks. "Yeah, finally grew out the buzz cut I had in high school."

"The beard finally grew in too," she added.

Nathan's lips curved into a lopsided charming smirk. "Lets just say the testosterone hit me hard after I turned twenty."

This, Elena believed. From what she could remember, Nathan had boyish features, big bright green eyes, and a somewhat deep voice. But now, the age brought a narrowness to his eyes, his jaw chiseled, matured with five o'clock shadow and his voice was far deeper than she remembered. The testosterone had done more than hit him hard.

It was silent between them for a moment, mostly because Elena really didn't know what to say to him. She had never expected a reunion like this, never thought she needed to prepare herself for it. It had been a long time since she talked to someone who completely knew her, knew her family, her likes and dislikes. Nathan had known everything about her several years ago.

"Whatever happened between us?"

When Nathan asked the question, Elena bit at her bottom lip. His brows were furrowed, the grin on his lips barely there now. Elena assumed he only kept it on to make her comfortable, but nonetheless, she shifted in her position nervously. She hadn't told the complete truth to Daryl, Rick and Glenn, mostly because Elena wasn't exactly sure how Daryl would react, knowing that her relationship with Nathan went a lot deeper than just 'good friends'.

Nathan watched her, waiting for her answer patiently and she sighed. "Your parents got a divorce, you're mom got full custody of you and your sister and got a job in Arizona." Elena grinned slightly, and lowered her eyes toward her hands. "We were both seventeen and mature enough to know that we were too young to stay committed to a long-distance relationship."

"You mean _you_ were," he said, his voice quiet. "I wanted to at least try."

Elena shot her eyes toward him, furrowing her brow. "I remember the feeling being mutual."

Nathan shook his head. "I only agreed to it 'cause it's what you wanted." He shrugged then. "False hope of a kid in love, I guess."

Elena didn't say anything, frowning. Nathan had been her very first boyfriend, her first kiss, her first everything. And if Elena had to guess, probably the closest she got to ever falling in love. She was young, infatuated with him. He was the star soccer player of her high school and she remembered watching him play sometimes when she was training for her school's cross country team on the track. After school, almost every single day. She knew after a while, that the reason she was there wasn't about training anymore, but it was that spur of fate that maybe she'd have the courage to talk to him, maybe ask him out to a movie or something.

Then, Elena had been always timid, too scared at the thought of rejection that the idea of even trying was already formulating all the negative outcomes that could happen. And it was that one day, that one day she was running on the track and had accidentally tripped and fallen, spraining her ankle, he was there. He asked if she was okay, helping her up and walking her to the nurses office and to Elena's surprise, stayed with her the entire time, before asking her out to a movie himself.

Three years their relationship lasted, three years that were so long ago. Three years that really didn't matter anymore.

"That was a long time ago," she finally whispered, her eyes in that moment drifting toward Daryl. He was still watching them, but was now pacing. And Elena knew that her feelings had moved on completely.

"Yeah." Nathan's voice was noncommittal, more like an automatic response to her statement.

Elena thought it best to change the subject. "What the hell are you doing here, Nathan? In Georgia," she added.

A smile was on Nathan's lips again but it looked empty. "Y'know, I never really understood that saying 'shit rolls down hill', not until what I went through." He ran his fingers through his hair again before he rested his elbows on his knees. "Before everything, before the world had gone to shit, I get a phone call from Georgia—here. My dad had had a heart attack, died on the way to the hospital."

"I'm sorry," Elena whispered with sincerity.

Nathan shook his head. "Doesn't matter. My dad stopped taking care of himself after my mom left him. No ones fault but his." Nathan paused for a moment, his expression lowering then. "Anyway, my mom and sister were on vacation so I booked a plane ride here to clear out his things from his apartment and to get things ready for the funeral. But that's when the broadcasts started. My flight back to Arizona was cancelled and I was stuck here. Phone lines weren't working. Nothing." He narrowed his eyes to the ground, a sudden darkness enveloping him. "I don't even know if my mom and sister are alive."

Elena opened her mouth to stay something, but she supposed saying I'm sorry again would just be redundant, so she stayed silent.

After a moment, the dread in Nathan's expression left, bringing that slight warmth he held. "How about you?"

Elena inhaled, readying herself for the emotion that would build up when she thought of the past. She had more of a control of it now, but she hadn't talked about it in a while and she supposed talking about it again would trigger something. But to her surprise, she was calm. "Amelia, Toni and I immediately got out of Atlanta when things got worse."

"Wasn't there a refugee centre there?"

"The infection reached the cities too."

"Damn...," Nathan whispered. "I remember your sister, you two use to fight all the time. But Toni...," he trailed off for a moment, looking thoughtful. "Wasn't that her boyfriend? They're still together?"

"Engaged now. Were," she corrected quickly.

"What?"

Elena met his eyes then and began shaking her head. "They didn't make it."

Nathan tilted his head, sympathy settling in his eyes. "Elena...I'm so sorry..."

Elena nodded a little and looked away, her saying those words returning that painful ache in her stomach, reminding her of how she lost them. Even though it had been months it still hurt.

"I don't know what's worse, not knowing your family is alive or knowing they're dead."

"Both suck," Elena said halfheartedly. Nathan was nodding beside her but didn't say anything. She moved her sight then, passed him and toward his men. They were still where she had last seen them, by the truck, but now talking quietly to each other. "Who are those guys you're with?"

Nathan only glanced at them. "Guys I met through this mess. I've known Wess longer though. He saved my neck a couple of times from the biters. I owe that guy a lot." He then brought his eyes to hers. "It's not just us though, we have a bigger camp. In fact, there's a real reason why I wanted to talk to you."

Elena had her suspicions, but she kept a straight face. "Not just about catching up, huh?"

Nathan's gaze didn't waver. "I want you to come with me."

Lips parting, Elena stared at him. But she slightly shook her head. "Nathan..."

"You don't even need to give me an answer now. Just promise me you'll give it some thought. Before you leave."

"It's not that simple—"

"Give it some thought, alright? Please." Nathan's gaze held strong and he gave her another warm smile before bringing his hand toward her face.

Elena stiffened in that moment, his touch feeling foreign to her. But Nathan didn't take notice as he brushed a strand of hair that had fallen from her ponytail from her face and tucked it behind her ear. It was a tender gesture, one that Elena wasn't comfortable with. Not because it had been such a long time, but because she knew Daryl was still watching.

Nathan stood then, still smiling down at her before he turned and walked away. Elena watched him go, unable to stand up herself, his request suddenly becoming too heavy of a thought for her to handle. But Elena built up the courage anyway and stood on her feet, taking her eyes off him and began making her way back to the Dodge Ram. She didn't dare look at Daryl then.

"Have a nice _chat_?" Daryl sneered, knowing very well his tone was condescending and he lacked the ability to care.

"We were catching up..."

Daryl scoffed. "Ain't what it looked like to me."

"He's just a friend."

"Mmhm." Daryl was irritated, not just at the fact of witnessing them together, but at the fact she tried to sugarcoat it. Daryl wasn't stupid, them being just 'good friends' was bullshit. It went a lot deeper than that and what it did was make Daryl's irritation simmer. He didn't like pretty boy, didn't like the way he looked at her, the way he addressed her. He didn't trust him, and he didn't give a shit if Elena did.

"Don't be like that," Elena replied, her brows furrowed now. "Y'know, you still haven't even explained what happened this morning."

Daryl narrowed his eyes. As much as that was true, Elena was using it as a decoy, steering the conversation away from the subject. And it annoyed him even more. Daryl didn't reply, taking his eyes off of hers, brushing off her statement. He took a step away from her when she said something. Something that made his whole body freeze.

He turned to her, unsure he heard right. "What?"

"...He wants me to go with him," she repeated. Her voice was weak, her eyes big, her lips frowning.

Daryl returned his step toward her. "What did ya tell 'im?"

Elena bit her lip. She stayed silent for a moment and Daryl's body ran cold. Was she actually thinking of leaving? Daryl dropped his hand from the foregrip of his crossbow, lowering his weapon to his side, the weight of it suddenly the last thing he wanted to deal with. He watched Elena closely as her eyes were lowered away from his and there was something in her posture he didn't like. Like she didn't want to tell him, like she was afraid to.

She was going to leave, wasn't she? Leave the group. Leave him. So, all this time she spent trying to get closer to him, closer to the group, as soon as some punk she knew returned into her life, she was willing to drop all of that and leave? For a moment, Daryl felt betrayed and yet slightly unsurprised. Everyone he knew left him before.

"Man," Daryl said after a moment, feeling the rage starting to rise as he threw his arm out, "just _go_! Hold pretty boy's hand for all I care! That's what you _want_."

Her eyes met his steadily. "You don't know what I want."

Daryl sneered distastefully. "I know he ain't just some 'friend'." She furrowed her brow and Daryl scrutinized his eyes into slits. "I see the way he looks at you. The way ya look at_ 'im_."

"For godsakes Daryl!" Elena yelled suddenly, staring at him bitterly.

He didn't reply right away, assuming her anger was only there because he struck a soft spot at the truth. But what she said next, he wasn't expecting at all.

"I want _you_. Why is that so _damn_ hard to believe!" She gestured toward him angrily, taking a step forward. "Even after our talk a few days ago, you still haven't changed! And after this morning? _You_ walked away from _me_. You don't talk to me! You don't trust me to understand. And now as soon as someone else is in the picture you immediately take a step back? Sometimes I wonder if you even give a shit."

Daryl stood there, her sudden outburst striking him in awe. Until her last statement.

"You don't know what the hell yer talkin' 'bout!" he shouted back.

"You can't even be bothered to ask me to stay!"

"That what ya _want_?"

"No Daryl." Her voice was calm now, her tone soft. "What I want is for you to just tell me. I want you to be honest with me. I want you to finally realize that I'm not going to hurt you."

Daryl stayed silent, too stunned to say a word and Elena looked at him sadly.

"I've been trying here Daryl. I think it's about time you show me something too."

Elena wasn't expecting for Daryl to give her a reply, so exhausted of everything that she wasn't asking anything more from him by this point. Her decision about Nathan had already been made up in her mind, but Daryl's sudden act of jealousy and passivity was enough to cap off on the thin line of patience Elena still had for him. She was so tired of always being the one that put in the effort in their relationship, in whatever they had between them. So tired of being the one that tried to be understanding and patient. Tired of being the one that was always trying. And maybe Daryl wasn't the type to be forthcoming about expressing his emotions and how he felt about her but Elena just couldn't take in his subtle cues anymore. She needed more from him now. She needed to know that he was willing to fight for what they had, not just her.


	21. Chapter 21

**Eep! Here's the second part. I was going to post it tomorrow but because you guys are as excited as I am and I couldn't wait to see what you're reactions would be to the end of this segment I just had to post it early. Anyway yeah, so who the hell is this Nathan guy? All suave and what not! I've been wanting to introduce another character for a long time, not saying our cast isn't enough, but to add a little more fuel to the fire. :D And a guy from Woodbury of all places? Pffttt. Anyway, everyone is just itching for Daryl to stop being such a pussy and make a damn move! Yeah, Daryl what the hell? Do something!**

**Reviews reviews! I love them. Keep them coming!**

**Theme for this chap is 'Flowers for a Ghost' by Thriving Ivory...Well this is technically Daryl's specific theme.**

**I do not take credit for characters with an exception to my OC's.**

* * *

When Glenn and Rick returned with their share of food, Elena kept herself busy with setting them up in the back of the truck, ignoring the thoughts about Daryl, ignoring whether what she said to him had finally struck a nerve and made him think through things. Right now, Elena kept her mind occupied, away from any worry. In all honesty there wasn't more she could do.

Elena counted the boxes they had so far, realizing that Rick and Glenn had gone back to get the last of it. She straightened herself on the back of the Dodge Ram and her eyes drifted. She didn't mean to look at him, but avoiding the fact that he was waiting on her answer wasn't something she could do. Nathan was watching her, his arms cross over his chest, but he was too far for Elena to really read his face.

Daryl gazed at Elena, the anger that he had boiled under immediately gone. He had kept his distance after her outburst, completely clueless as to what to even say to her.

Hell, he was so distrusting of getting close to people, expecting them to leave and he realized that he always just let them. He never even put up much of a fight. Was he going to do that to her too?

Elena was giving him one final chance, one more to finally show what she meant to him. She didn't need to, but she wanted to. It was more than Daryl ever had. And if he didn't do something, say something to her, she could walk out of his life completely. As much as he wanted to deny it, he didn't want to let her go.

Daryl hid behind his anger, always had. It gave him strength. But now he wondered if it was really an act of cowardice. He was too afraid to be honest, afraid of being hurt. But that's all he ever experienced, that's all Daryl knew.

When he finally followed the gaze that Elena was staring, he began chewing on the side of his cheek. Pretty boy was looking back at her, waiting. Waiting for her. Was Daryl really willing to let her go?

"Here," Glenn called out from under Elena suddenly, breaking her from her revery. "It's the last of them."

Elena reached for the box he handed to her, placing it down and taking the other Rick offered. When Elena dropped from the back of the truck and shut the tailgate, Rick approached her side.

"Everythin' went alright with him?"

Elena sent him a fake smile, and immediately lowered it, realizing she didn't have the energy to force a facade in front of him. "Yeah. He just asked me to talk to him before we leave."

Rick narrowed his eyes slightly, but it was out of thoughtfulness. "It's not about joinin' us..."

She shook her head. "No. He said he has his own camp. And I know there's no way we can take him in." Elena met his eyes. "I think he's just making sure we have our chance to say goodbye to each other."

Rick nodded his head in understanding, placing his hands on his hips and looking back down the street, at the white Dodge truck. Rick's jaw clenched before placing his hand briefly on her shoulder.

"Go on." He gestured toward Nathan. "We'll wait for you."

"Thank you," Elena whispered and gave him a genuine smile. But the smile eventually fell when she began walking, seeing Nathan lean away from the truck and stepped toward her, meeting her halfway.

His eyes were soft again, like they always were, but they didn't ease Elena's nerves. They didn't ease what she knew she was about to say to him. And maybe it was a harsh choice, maybe it was one she should have thought longer on. But she knew it was the right choice.

"Gotta extra seat for you—"

"I'm not going with you," Elena admitted quickly, cutting him off.

The softness in his eyes faded in that instant, along with the confident hope that she assumed he actually expected her to leave with him. Nathan stared at her stunned and it almost broke her heart. It was the same reaction he had when she suggested they ended things several years ago.

"What?" he finally uttered, his voice breathless.

"I can't."

Nathan's brows furrowed, his lips parted in confusion. He looked passed her shoulder briefly. "How well do you even know those guys?" he asked her, then took a step forward. "You know _me_. I can keep you safe. Alive."

Elena stayed with his gaze. "They've kept me alive."

"Yeah, for how long?" Nathan's voice was suddenly impatient, bringing in a sudden ire.

"_Your_ friend had a gun on me. On Glenn," she tried to reason.

"And your men didn't?!" he yelled. Nathan let out a breath of frustration, running his hands through his hair roughly, pacing a few steps before he turned back on her, his eyes desperate. "You don't get it, Elena. Do you know what it's like to go through day by day alone? Away from your family? Friends? Not being able to go and look for them? Not knowing whether they're even alive!" He took a step closer, leaning toward her. "Honestly, what are the chances of us seeing each other again? After so many years? This_ means_ something!"

Elena bit at her lip, the look he was giving her making this so much harder. Even after so many years, she still cared about him, and yet, she couldn't do this. "Please Nathan, don't guilt trip me on this."

"Those guys are gonna get you killed!"

Elena shook her head, taking a step back. "I trust them."

"Elena," Nathan then grabbed her arm, "don't do this. Don't leave."

Although his words were a desperate plea, Elena tried to pull out of his grip. She made her decision, she wasn't going to change it. But as she pulled, Nathan held on tightly, his grip gradually becoming painful.

"Let go of me, Nathan."

But he wasn't listening, his eyes still boar into hers, the desperation there. Desperation that at the moment made Elena question his motives.

Then, Elena was suddenly shoved back, a body stepping in front of her and Nathan's hold on her arm in that instant ripped away. Blinking, Elena stared into the angel wings on the man's back who stood in front of her.

"Get yer hand off 'er."

"This doesn't concern you, asshole," Nathan replied darkly.

Daryl took a step forward, sizing Nathan up before he narrowed his eyes. "Better watch yer mouth."

Elena stepped aside at Daryl's vicious tone of voice. There was a harsh tension in the air as the testosterone between them began to boil. They glared hard into each others eyes, either of them invading the others space, both of their shoulders tense and their hands balled into fists at their sides. They were both waiting for just one move to start up the fist fight that Elena knew was ready to happen.

"Daryl," Elena warned.

Nathan ignored her. "Or _what_? I ain't scared of some redneck piece of _shit_."

"_Nathan_," Elena tried again.

Daryl ignored her also. "Whatcha call me?"

"Guys, stop."

"You heard me." Nathan leaned in just a little bit closer, a snide smile on his lips, the softness in his eyes gone, leaving the expression of a man Elena didn't recognize. "Inbred white _trash_."

Elena immediately forced herself in between just as she saw Daryl lift his right fist, ready to aim it across Nathan's jaw. "Enough!" she shouted at both of them, placing her hand on Daryl's chest and shoving him gently back.

The two men didn't say anything, just continued to stare down at each other.

Elena furrowed her brow, turning to Daryl, her hand still against his chest, afraid that if she moved it away he might attack. "Lemme talk to him," she whispered. Daryl kept his eyes on Nathan, his eyes dark. "_Daryl_."

Daryl exhaled through his nose at the volume of her voice, finally taking his eyes from Nathan and meeting hers. But the darkness in them didn't flee. "Five minutes. Or else I'm comin' to get ya."

Elena frowned slightly, his words a harsh demand. Reluctantly, she nodded her head and Daryl gave one final glance toward Nathan behind her before backing up and returning to the Dodge Ram where Rick and Glenn watched from afar, their posture perplexed.

"That's why you won't come. It's because of that redneck, isn't it?" Nathan suddenly asked, his tone crude.

Elena returned her eyes on him. "Don't call him that."

"Just answer my question."

Elena watched him for a moment, the desperation and plea gone, now replaced with so much anger in his eyes that briefly, it almost scared her. "It's not just him, it's my entire group. I have responsibilities now, I can't just leave them."

"So you're gonna walk away from the last person that knows you more than anyone?"

"High school was a long time ago, Nathan," Elena whispered, her voice holding sympathy. "I'm sorry, I can't give you what you want."

"Elena, please..."

"Take care of yourself."

Elena glanced at him one final time before she walked away, toward the Dodge Ram.

Nathan could only watch, his whole body running cold. He knew what this meant. It didn't just mean that he lost her, it didn't mean that he may never see her again. It meant that now he had a job to do. He couldn't just let them go. However, no matter how many times Nathan had done this before, his legs underneath him were already moving on their own accord, retreating back. His body already knew he couldn't do it before his brain got the signal. It was when he heard rushed footsteps come up behind him did his spine go rigid.

When Nathan caught sight of the pistol at his side, aimed straight toward Elena who was just entering the Dodge Ram with the three men, unaware, his vision went black.

Nathan turned in that instant, twisting the pistol out of Pike's hands before he pulled the trigger and threw his fist against his face. The force dropped Pike to the ground, blood oozing from his nose, disoriented from the sudden attack. Nathan straddled him then, taking the pistol he disarmed from Pike and aiming the muzzle between his eyes. Pike's eyes widened, but didn't utter a word, swallowing hard.

"Nathan," Wess then whispered beside him, but keeping a short distance. "Put the gun down."

Nathan was breathing heavily, never blinking, the gun trembling in his hands. But he pressed the muzzle against Pike's skin. He kept it there for a moment, catching his breath before he roughly let him go, sliding the clip out of the pistol which landed on the pavement. He threw the empty gun hard into Pike's lap.

"...You know we can't just let them go."

Nathan narrowed his eyes, finally looking at Wess who stared at him with shock and subtle fear.

"They'll die out there anyway." And with that Nathan brushed passed him, and walked back to the truck.

* * *

Could she have done something different? No. Then why the hell did she feel so guilty?

As much as Nathan wanted to rekindle their old relationship, Elena couldn't give him what he wanted, because in reality, Nathan didn't know what _he_ wanted. As impressions go, he seemed to want her, but the truth was, whatever had happened to him, whatever he went through, he was using Elena as a haven for hope. The words he said to her bothered her, the fact that he claimed she didn't understand what it was like being alone and stuck in a place where you were far away from your family. Maybe Elena's case wasn't the same, and at the moment she wasn't really alone, but it didn't mean she didn't understand.

She knew Nathan, knew him well, but she didn't know this Nathan. He seemed different, especially after he shed his true colours when her refusal to go triggered something inside him. The anger wasn't something she was prepared for and as much as Daryl stepping in had made things worse, it also made her feel safe.

Daryl showed something then. Not just that he had stood his ground for her, but the fact that he demanded he was coming to get her if she exceeded the five minutes he allowed. He wasn't letting her go. That was what Elena needed to push herself and tell Nathan that what they had was long gone, because now she was starting something new, something that at the time may have frustrated her, may have tested her patience, but she hadn't lied to herself about it. Not before, not now. Daryl was worth it.

No one had said a word on the ride back, the altercation between Elena, Daryl and Nathan causing a tension in the truck. But no one brought it into question, no one asked about it. Just complete silence.

Elena had given the keys to Rick, unable to have a hold on enough concentration to drive. She was sitting beside him in the passenger seat, and from the corner of her eyes she could see Rick at times glancing back at her as he drove. Elena shifted her eyes to the passenger side mirror, her eyes immediately meeting the reflection of Daryl's in the backseat. His eyes were narrowed, but this time it looked different. He stared at her thoughtfully, the anger and irritation she had seen in his face gone. Somehow the way he was looking at her, without breaking eye contact at all, sent a hidden message. But Elena's head was so muddled with what happened, she couldn't read the message he was giving to her.

When they returned to the group, T-Dog and Maggie had already syphoned all the gasoline from the abandoned cars and Rick had made the order for the group to move back onto the road. Maybe it was a quick order before Nathan and the other men had a chance to see which direction they had left, maybe it was just so they could find shelter before nightfall considering they had taken longer at the houses than what was expected. Whatever the reason, no one argued. However, the shelter that Rick ordered for was not found, their entire day to look for one lost. And thus, brought another night where the group had to sleep at the side of the road in the cars.

Elena sat near the small campfire T-Dog had made, the orange and yellow flames licking up the small pieces of firewood Glenn had gathered. The group was having a small bite to eat before everyone decided to call it a night. Daryl, T-Dog and Rick with Carl were on guard nearby while Elena sat by Carol and Lori, across from Hershel, Beth and Maggie.

"Here."

When a packet of jerky came into Elena's view, she gazed up the hand that held it, staring up at Glenn. He gave her a partial smile before offering it to her again. Elena unwrapped her arms from around her and took it. He then lowered himself beside her.

"You've been quiet," he whispered to her.

She didn't say anything, focusing her attention on peeling the plastic off the dried meat. If it could really be considered meat.

"You okay?"

Elena nodded her head automatically.

"Is this about your friend?" Glenn continued.

Smiling weakly, she gazed at him. "I know you mean well, Glenn. But...I don't want to talk about it."

"Sorry." Glenn lowered his eyes momentarily. "But hey, thanks for getting my back, back there."

Elena raised her brows.

"Y'know, the whole standing your ground, shotgun in my face thing."

She laughed a little at that. "I thought, at least aiming my gun was threatening enough to him. I had no intention on pulling the trigger."

"I know." Glenn gave a small grin. "If you had, we might have both been dead."

Elena frowned. "I'm not gonna lie...meeting with other survivors terrifies me."

"Yeah. But, at least it was someone you knew, right?"

"Do you think..." Elena paused, thinking over her words. "Do you think if Nathan wasn't willing to negotiate, would Rick have killed him?"

Glenn looked thoughtful, returning his eyes toward the fire. "I don't think so. You knew him and Rick's not like that."

Maybe she had some doubt, but Elena found herself agreeing. Rick was only looking out for the group, making sure everyone was safe, making sure they had what they needed for the winter. If there was any threat, Rick wouldn't hesitate to act, even if it was against someone Elena knew. She thought he had every right to be defensive against Nathan. He was unpredictable, Elena knew first hand today. Who knew what would have happened to her had she left with him? As much as his warmth and soft eyes were inviting, something about it just seemed false to her. It was probably because his anger definitely shouted louder than his friendliness but maybe the trust she had for him was only history based. Like it was more an obligation than anything.

Where ever he was now, Elena hoped he would be okay. Whatever he had gone through, she was sorry she couldn't do anything to fill that void. And maybe one day she might see him again, but that was an empty notion that Elena knew might never happen.

Elena stared back at the fire and tried not to dwell on it.

* * *

Everyone had gone to sleep back in the cars, the campfire burned out for the night.

Daryl was on watch duty, but the time was going a lot slower than his liking. He paced along the road, exhaling with impatience, the steam of his breath lifting above his head.

He stared at the ground, his mind elsewhere, completely dishevelled from the events of the day. Daryl had a painful headache, his thoughts from the morning adding on to the heavy weight of what happened hours ago.

All Daryl could properly focus on were Elena's words, and what she had said to him. It was the first time she let her temper take control like that, the first time the patience she had broke. And maybe that's what Daryl finally needed. That verbal slap in the face to make him realize that Elena was there standing right in front of him. And she wasn't going anywhere.

The thought of pretty boy asking her to go with her had caused a surge of jealousy through Daryl, but at first he didn't recognize it as jealousy. He thought of it as just rage, maybe fear. The guy was giving her an escape, a chance to be with someone she knows, someone she could handle. Everyone had left Daryl in the past, what was stopping her from leaving him too? And yet, as much as he expected her to take off and leave, she didn't want to. She wanted to stay. With him.

Daryl had pushed her again, shielding himself from getting hurt because he was so use to it by now. He was willing to give her up because of his insecurities. Because of those thoughts in his head that kept telling him that he didn't deserve her, that she could do better, that she deserved more. And yet, she wanted _him_. In return, all Elena wanted was for Daryl to show her that he actually gave a shit. That he cared. She wanted more from him. And in that moment, Daryl knew he couldn't let her go.

When he saw her returning to Nathan, he thought she went off to go tell him that she had made a decision and was leaving with him. Daryl had to intervene, had to do something. But his assumption that she was going to leave him had died abruptly. When he got closer, he realized they were arguing, and from what Daryl had heard, Elena was telling him that she wasn't going to go with him. Relief had settled into Daryl then, relief that he needed.

Until pretty boy put a hand on her.

The action welcomed Daryl's anger, made him immediately act. If Elena didn't know if he cared about her, there it was. Daryl didn't give a shit who pretty boy was at that moment, didn't care if they even had a history. Elena was staying with him.

Now, all Daryl wanted to do was be with her, have her. To hold something that he knew he needed. To hold something he would fight for.

However, his shift was taking much too long, and he kept expecting for T-Dog to come and finally take over but all Daryl's impatience did was make the waiting worse.

* * *

"Still awake?"

Elena brought her eyes toward T-Dog who was rubbing the sleep out of his face. She didn't realize how long she had been sitting there in the frontseat staring at the dashboard just thinking. T-Dog was getting up to take over Daryl's watch. Even though Elena told herself that she had to stop chasing after Daryl, she wanted to talk to him tonight, but she supposed she lost her chance.

"Get some sleep, would you?" T-Dog said and yawned before stepped out of the Dodge Ram and leaving her.

Elena frowned and slouched in her seat, watching him through the windshield as he went, leaving her view when he went around the Chevy Suburban. She missed her chance talking to Daryl. She knew he was going to go get a few hours of sleep before the sun rose. Elena supposed she'd have to wait until morning to speak with him, that is if they had the privacy that keeping watch at night usually gave them.

Sighing, Elena finally closed her eyes and rested her head against the passenger door, deciding to just get some sleep and postpone her worries for the morning.

That was until the door drew open.

Elena jumped in that instant, her eyes shooting toward the driver door that was slammed closed. When Elena narrowed her eyes, she recognized the man that entered and she let her heartbeat steady.

"God, Daryl, you scared the crap outta me."

Daryl didn't say anything, catching the breath he briefly lost just to reach the Dodge Ram as soon as he spotted T-Dog. T-Dog had given him an odd look when Daryl quickly brushed passed him, but he didn't care.

"What's wrong?" Elena suddenly asked, adjusting her position in her seat.

Daryl didn't hesitate, he grabbed her, his mouth covering hers. He felt Elena flinch lightly, his move startling her. After a moment, he felt Elena's hands against his chest, gently easing him back, taking her lips from his. Daryl gazed down at her with mild confusion as she stared up at him. He reached for her again but Elena stopped him.

"Wait," she whispered, her lips lightly brushing against his as she said the word.

Daryl forced himself to be patient, waited for her reasoning. But she was so close, and he wanted her.

Her eyes settled on him. "I need to ask you...what happened this morning?"

Daryl went stiff, not having anticipated the question. He watched her as she waited, her eyes big and expectant. If he pulled away from her now, it could cause something far worse than he could mend. And he had to prove her wrong. The fact that he hadn't changed was bullshit, Daryl had never felt this way about someone, cared about someone. Cared about what they thought about him. If he pulled away now, he could ruin everything, and his act earlier, defending her from pretty boy would have been rendered moot. Daryl still wasn't ready, but he couldn't avoid it. Would he ever be ready for this?

Holding on to the little emotional courage he had, Daryl lowered his eyes from hers, taking off the layers of clothes he had, his vest, his long sleeved denim shirt, leaving him with the one layer that stood between Elena and Daryl's painful past.

Daryl hesitated for a moment before bringing his fingers to the buttons of his shirt, unfastening one button and then the other. Slowly, he saw Elena bring her hands toward his, unbuttoning the shirt down for him, a lot more faster and steadier than he had. When she got to the last button, Daryl involuntarily swallowed.

Elena slid her hands up his abdomen to his chest, the touch making every muscle in Daryl's body constrict. Her hands moved on his shoulders, underneath his shirt, shoving it back to reveal more of him.

"Ain't pretty...," Daryl said in that instant with sudden nerves.

Elena ignored him, her gaze on his torso, her fingers gliding across his skin, touching the long thick scar that ran across the skin underneath his right collarbone. Daryl tensed up in that instant, watching her as her brow furrowed, her eyes shifting to the other marks that decorated his entire front. Each mark a memory from his father, each mark a punishment for having been in his life. Each mark reminding him how worthless his father said he was.

Elena's lips were parted, her eyes taking in each defect Daryl had to live with.

"Elena...," Daryl whispered, grabbing her arms in an attempt to stop her.

But when she finally lifted her eyes and met his, the pity he expected from her wasn't there. She was smiling. Daryl opened his mouth to say something but Elena had stopped any of the words from coming out. She grabbed the side of his face, holding him hard against her, her lips firm and strong.

Daryl expected her to be disgusted, expected every negative outcome, not her clenching on him so tightly like she never wanted to let him go. And Daryl gave in, taking her with guarded force. He pulled at her hair tie, letting her hair fall down to her shoulders and Daryl tangled his fingers into it.

When Elena pulled away from him, she grabbed at the hem of her shirt, pulling it off her quickly. Her lips took his again, as he felt her twist her arm behind her, hearing the unclasping of her bra. Elena shoved it away, never taking her lips from his and pressed her body against his. The skin on skin contact was enough Daryl could take, her breasts against him suddenly provoking. In that instant, Daryl dropped her on her back.

Daryl meant to dip his head, feel her skin against his lips, but he stopped himself, wanting to look her over. She laid on her back, her dark hair surrounding her head in voluptuous waves, her bare sun-kissed skin glowed under the moonlight that seeped through the windows. Her breathing was a little bit heavy as she stared up at him, her full lips waiting for the next touch.

Hell, she never looked so beautiful. And so completely _his_.

Elena pulled him down on her, threading her fingers in his hair as she kissed his lips, sliding her tongue in before he did and Daryl felt the rush of heat run through him. Impatiently, Daryl grabbed at her jeans, hastily unfastening them.

The awkward wiggling of getting out of their last piece of clothing drove Daryl in frustration, so desperate to get that release, that same one he had before. He thought it had satisfied him the first time but in reality all it did was make him want more. He tried to shed them out of their pants and underwear quick, kicking them to the floor of the cab, and settling himself on top of her again.

When Daryl finally entered her, he was reminded of how damn good it felt the first time. And when a short moan escaped Elena's lips, Daryl was consciously aware that he had the ability to make her feel just as good. Maybe more.

When Daryl moved in her, he watched for her reactions, making sure he was doing things right, making sure that this time he was pleasuring her the right way. Elena's eyes were pinched shut, her body stretching out from underneath him at every thrust. Daryl lowered on his elbow that rested at the opposite side of her bruised ribs, avoiding what he hadn't last time. He slid his hand to her thigh, wrapping it around his waist and held it there.

Elena began meeting her hips against his, forcing him to drive in deeper, coaxing him to go faster. When Elena opened her eyes, meeting his, Daryl felt this sudden sensation go through his body. Something he never felt before. That intimacy he never had with someone, that intimacy he never thought he needed to look for. And he hadn't, because somehow it had stumbled in his path. Just like Elena had.

Daryl thrusted his hips against hers again and Elena threw her head back further into the seat, moaning out his name. The sound brought fire to burn his entire body, and Daryl kept at it, wanting to hear it again, wanting to know that it was him making her feel this good. But he didn't get the chance when he felt her nails bite into the skin on his shoulder blades, her body tensing up under him. She bit hard on her bottom lip, concentrating on suppressing the climatic cry that was about ready to escape. But her lip slipped from her teeth and she inhaled deeply. Before she could utter a sound, Daryl devoured her mouth in his.

Elena moaned nonetheless, her voice muffled. When she tightened around him, all of it was enough to drive him over the edge with her. The incredible release completely enveloped him, making every muscle in his body clench and his spine go rigid, leaving him with a harsh breath that passed his lips just after he parted from her.

For a moment Daryl didn't move, allowing himself to recover as he bowed his head just beside her ear. They panted, each breath in sync. Daryl then felt Elena thread her fingers through his damp hair, her lips lazily brushing against his jaw, then neck and shoulder. An affectionate touch that Daryl found surprisingly comforting.

When Daryl finally found the strength to pull himself off of her, he immediately went for his clothes, covering himself back up, not that he really needed to hide himself anymore from her. Elena was also pulling on her pants, abandoning her bra and throwing on her long sleeved shirt. She rested herself back on the frontseat, turning on her side as she watched him when he threw on his leather biker vest.

Then, Elena's hand grabbed his wrist gently. He shot his eyes toward her. Her head was rested on her arm, her eyes already half closed.

"Stay, please," she whispered quietly. "Just for a little bit."

Daryl stared at her as she let go of him, her eyes briefly closing. This was the part after sex that Daryl dreaded, the part that he didn't know what to do. The cuddling, the after sex embrace. But just like a lot of things he had done with Elena, Daryl decided to at least try. He shifted between her back and the back rest, laying on his side near her. But for some reason it just didn't seem right, not with the small gap between them. Reluctant, Daryl brought his hand around her, sliding it over her stomach before he pulled her, molding her body to his, spooned against him. He heard Elena sigh lightly before she completely relaxed. Her fingers then slid over his knuckles, holding his palm to her, making Daryl think twice about moving it. He kept it where it was.

There was a moment of silence, one that was refreshing and they laid there, their body heat enough to keep them warm from the cold air outside.

"I was never going to leave with him," Elena said after a while before she turned her head and looked at him. "Y'know that right?"

Daryl narrowed his eyes in thought.

"Who was he?" he asked the words before he stopped himself, the curiosity getting the best of him. Did he really want to know who pretty boy was to her? He had his suspicions but hearing it from her might be even worse.

"An answer for an answer?"

Daryl figured he was beyond the point of turning back now. "Yeah."

"I met him when I was fifteen. We dated for three years until we decided to break it off when he had to move to a different state."

So, they did have a deeper history. _Three_ years. That was a hell of a long time in Daryl's perspective. And now he understood further the way pretty boy looked at Elena. He still had feelings for her.

"It was a long time ago," she whispered.

Her words eased the sudden nervousness that was building up in him. Elena didn't have feelings for that guy anymore. No, right now she was here, lying down next to him. She was the one asking him to stay. Daryl let his body completely soften against her, trying to rid away the tenseness that always lingered when he was nervous with her. Daryl realized he really didn't need to be.

He waited then, listening for her share of a question she wanted to ask. Whatever it was, Daryl had no idea. His mind was foggy now, the satisfaction of their activity easing out the strain in his muscles and the worry in his head.

"How'd you get those scars?"

Daryl froze.

Elena knew in that instant she had struck a nerve and maybe the decision of asking a question so deep may have been the wrong one. After all, he had the courage to allow her to see them, it didn't necessarily mean he was really ready to share them. When Daryl pulled away from her, Elena wasn't surprised at all. And she wasn't upset. It had been her fault to bring up such a subject that Elena knew nothing about.

Adjusting herself, Elena sat up to look at him, expecting him to jump out the cab of the truck but he didn't. He sat there, his elbows rested against his legs, his stiff back crouched over. He was rubbing the back of his hand against his eyes roughly. And Elena immediately wanted to apologize for going too far.

"Daryl—"

"Was my dad."

Elena stopped, her hand reaching out to him freezing in mid-air. His words struck her hard, an awful understand beginning to form in her brain, along with a memory of what he had said to her before.

_"Did you ever have someone wishing you were gone?"_

_"Every damn day. Had an asshole for a father, didn't give two shits 'bout me or my brother."_

At that moment, Elena wished she didn't understand his meaning.

Daryl looked tense in the dark and somehow he looked vulnerable. Elena didn't know exactly what to say, the tension beginning to inhabit the air. A tension of terrible understanding, a tension that Daryl suffered with.

"He got what was comin' to 'im," Daryl said, his voice dark.

Elena couldn't see his face, hidden behind the shadow of his hand, his voice from what he said making her body run cold. Making her stomach ache.

"Daryl I..." Elena tried to reach her hand out to him again, briefly touching his shoulder.

He brushed it off, however gently. "Jus'...leave it be, alright?" he said quietly. He didn't sound angry, just faraway. "It's late. Get some rest. I'll see ya tomorrow."

Daryl turned decisively toward the driver door, opening it up and jumped out. For a split second Elena thought about letting him ago, but her mind had another idea. When Daryl moved to close the door behind him, Elena called out after him.

He lifted his eyes toward her then, leaving the door slightly ajar, his face empty of expression, but his eyes conflicted.

"I'm sorry," she said softly, gazing at him sadly.

Daryl gave a short nod, or just lowered his head. Elena wasn't exactly sure, and she never got her answer when he closed the door and left. Leaving her with regret that felt suffocating in the cab of the truck. Now she knew where the insecurity came from, now she knew why Daryl thought he was worthless. Now she knew why he was emotionally withdrawn.

Daryl had an abusive life and Elena had fed the fire by selfishly digging deeper into his past that he had every right not to share.


	22. Chapter 22

**Oh man, these two, it can never be just hugs and rainbows with them, can it? Nope, because in my opinion, a relationship isn't real unless there are problems. And a relationship doesn't become stronger unless they can overcome them. And hopefully they would but Daryl's scars are a tricky subject! As for Nathan McClane...will we see him again? Always a possibility. After all I didn't create him as the type of guy that would just turn over and die, he's a lot tougher than that. So, he might show up again, we'll see. :)**

**Thank you for the reviews and new followers, as always! You guys are 50% the reason I'm even writing this story. Also, I need something to fill the void of Walking Dead withdrawals now haha.**

**Theme for this chapter is 'No Light, No Light' by Florence and the Machine.**

**I take no credit for characters with an exception to my OC's.**

* * *

Elena sighed as she gazed toward the distance through the scope of the binoculars held in her hands. She could see him driving back from the far length of the road, the wind blowing through his brown hair, the engine of his brother's motorcycle faint in her ears, the volume growing in his approach.

The group was on break off the road to stretch out their legs. Daryl had gone ahead with permission from Rick to drive forward to scout for any possible areas to loot and for any obstacles that could obstruct their path.

The event of last night was still fresh in Elena's mind, still eating up at her that although her and Daryl's intimate time together had exhausted her, what he had confessed to her wouldn't allow her any sleep. And all she did was think about it while she waited for his return.

Elena hadn't talked to him since last night, not that she didn't want to but because she had no idea what to say to him. For once she was stumped. And she felt an incredible overwhelming blame on herself for having asked a question that she knew from the get go was highly personal. Maybe Daryl and her were far beyond really keeping secrets from each other anymore, but this secret was private information that Elena had no business dwelling in. It may have given her answers, reasons to why Daryl acted the way he did but it only made the guilt worse. After all she was the one pushing him to open up all the time without the knowledge of why he was so closed off in the first place. Elena couldn't say she had dealt with this before, she couldn't say she really had any way of going about it. She had no idea.

"Is that him?"

Elena blinked, finally lowering the binoculars and looked down at Rick who was staring up at her, hands on his hips.

"Yeah, he's heading back," she answered. She hopped down off the back of the Dodge Ram nearby his side, handing him the binoculars he'd given her.

Rick took it, adjusting the item in his hand. He gazed at her for a moment before turning his head off to the distance, his eyes narrowing.

"You've been quiet since you said goodbye to that friend of yours yesterday," he stated, then gazed back at her. "Everythin' alright?"

Elena pursed her lips momentarily. She hadn't thought about Nathan, too focused on Daryl that the thought of her ex-boyfriend from high school had been pushed to the back of her mind. It just went to show her how much her feelings for Nathan had completely moved on, not that she didn't care about him, but that she at the moment cared for Daryl more.

Elena decided to be completely honest with Rick then. "Nathan asked me to go with him. He wanted me to leave and join his group."

Rick inhaled, looking at her with soft eyes. "But you didn't."

She shook her head.

"Why?"

Elena took a moment to answer. "As much as I know Nathan...I belong here, with everyone. Maybe it sounds corny but you guys are like a family to me, and I owe you so much."

A genuine smile tugged at Rick's lips before the loud roar of Daryl's bike became more prominent. They both turned their heads as Daryl braked in the distance, turning off the engine and kicking out the side stand before swinging his leg off the seat.

"Daryl wouldn't be another reason, would he?"

Elena shot her eyes toward Rick. He looked back at her slowly, his eyes clear and full of outspoken knowledge that for a moment it shocked her. He didn't have to say it because it was already obvious.

"You know?"

"I had my suspicions."

Elena didn't say anything. She had been completely in tuned with the fact that no one knew besides Glenn, Maggie and Carol. It's not like Daryl and her were open about how they felt for each other toward the others. Any time they did show anything it was in private. In her perspective, she didn't think her and Daryl had caused any impression to be put in question. However, she supposed Rick had more of a keen eye than the others did.

"The warehouse gave it away," he continued. "I know what it looks like when a _couple_ argue." He gave her a brief smile. "And you two are always together on watch..."

"We stick to the job," Elena replied quickly. "We don't use it as a chance to fool around if that's what you're thinking."

Rick exhaled as a short indication of a laugh. "Make sure it stays that way, it's bad enough I have to worry about Glenn and Maggie."

"I think Daryl and I are past the point of young raging hormones, don't you think?" Although she said it honestly, Elena had to think how much of that was true. It may not have been early twenties hormones between them, but it was certainly some sort of sex drive. Some sort of attractive pull.

"Guess you're right." He smiled again before lightly touching her arm. "Glad you two could find each other. Not somethin' you can easily find these days."

Elena nodded her head, her eyes softening. "Yeah."

Rick lowered his eyes then, seemingly thoughtful for a moment. "Stop me if this may be too forward...if I can offer you some advice?"

She hadn't expected that. But Elena tilted her head, as polite as she could be. "Of course, Rick, go ahead."

Rick didn't speak right away, his eyes moving off into the distance away from her. His expression seemed faraway and it made Elena wonder. "Whatever he does, whether it might anger you or whatnot...you have to believe that what he's doin' is for your good intentions."

Elena stared at him, her brows beginning to furrow. It took a second for Elena to realize that what he was saying wasn't really directed to her. "This isn't about me and Daryl, is it?"

Rick exhaled, bowing his head.

Elena knew what was on his mind. Lori. Their marriage. All of it.

"If you want to talk, I can lend an ear."

"No," Rick said in that instant. He began shaking his head. "No."

When he lifted his eyes, he saw Elena's gaze leave him as she nodded her head slowly in understanding.

It wasn't that he didn't want to talk to Elena about it, it was that Rick didn't want to talk about it at all. Maybe, he thought, if he pushed it to the back of his mind, let it sit, maybe somehow it would go away. But he knew that wasn't true, and it never would be true.

Rick had known about Elena and Daryl for a long time. It hadn't caused so much concern as it did curiosity. Rick would have been lying if he said it didn't surprise him in the least. Elena was a good looking girl, had it been with anyone else he might not have wondered about it—although the only other candidate at this point was T-Dog—but because it was with Daryl, shamefully his curiosity flared.

Daryl wasn't exactly a man that was the most open. Normally he kept to himself, and if he was needed, whether it be for scavenging, watches or just the sheer protection of the group, he would step in. Rick was grateful of that, he owed Daryl more than he probably knew. Elena in comparison was altogether the opposite, not that she wasn't capable of protecting the group herself, but that she was the one member of the group that respectively wore her heart on her sleeve. She was patient and understanding, some qualities that at times could be hard to find. Those were qualities, Rick himself, once had. Maybe he still had them, but to his wife? That was a different story.

Daryl in the long run was a dependable, loyal man, and maybe Rick could even consider him as a friend, rather than just a mere member of the group. Rick supposed that although Daryl may be impatient and troubling, Elena saw passed that, discovering a relationship that may have never happened had this outbreak never started. It may never have started had she not joined the group the way she did.

He was happy for them that amongst the midst of a world gone dark they had found some light in each other. However, as happy as he was for them, there was a part of Rick that couldn't help but reflect a portion of envy.

His marriage with Lori was dying and Rick had no way of fixing it. Supposedly he could talk to his wife, finally make an understanding of what had happened between Lori, Shane and him, where things had gotten bad, and why they went the way they did. But Rick found he didn't want to. He was just so tired of the talks, the constant arguments, the constant misjudgements between the two of them. If Lori was putting him at fault with what their marriage was now, than Rick had no intention of fixing it, not now. Eventually, maybe he'd find the courage to take the chance, make things better, after all he made a vow right? For better or for worse. Did that promise still apply now? If he thought about it, Lori and Carl were really all he had left, all that was driving him forward. And maybe his relationship with Lori hadn't been what it use to be, it didn't mean that he didn't still love her. Sometimes Rick wondered if Lori knew that.

"Tell the others to pack up, we'll be leavin' soon," Rick told Elena after a while and nodded his head toward Carol, Glenn, T-Dog and the Greene sisters.

Elena muttered an okay before leaving him and Rick set out on his direction toward Daryl. As he sauntered, Rick caught sight of Hershel speaking with Lori who sat outside the Chevy Suburban.

Through the days, Rick had noticed her morning sickness had gotten worse. According to Hershel, there was no cause for alarm but Rick didn't remember Lori hacking up so much as she did when she was pregnant with Carl. He hadn't thought about it much, too focused on other things that he didn't linger on it. Hershel was taking care of things and Rick was fine with that.

When Rick walked passed them, he was consciously aware of their eyes on him but he pretended not to take notice before reaching Daryl's side.

"Whatcha find?" Rick asked him as he was adjusting his crossbow in the back of his motorcycle.

Daryl took a moment, tugging at his firearm to make sure it was set in place, Rick assumed. He stood straight then and turned to him.

"Ain't much ahead. Found some walkers an' a factory ten miles up the road," he finally replied.

"Abandoned?"

"Yeah, ain't been used for years."

Rick sighed, running his hand through his hair. "No chance we'll find anythin' there."

"We may find shelter."

Rick turned at that, his eyes meeting Hershel's as he slowly approached. Hershel's lips were set in a tight line, his wise eyes narrowed on him.

"The nights are gettin' colder, Rick, and I don't think sleepin' in the vehicles are doin' our backs any good."

"And the cold floor of a factory would?" Rick inquired. He didn't mean to be snide, but the vehicles had been the best shelter they had during the nights.

"It gives us time to recuperate," Hershel replied. "We have enough food to last us a weeks stay. I think everyone could use a time of rest and havin' their feet on the ground."

But Rick was shaking his head. "We can't risk the chance of wastin' days."

Hershel nodded his head. "I know, but the group is exhausted. Rick, I understand your push in collectin' the supplies we need but I think it's a good a time as any to have the group settle somewhere...even for a short while."

Rick's jaw clenched as he thought over his words. He drifted his eyes from Hershel toward Daryl momentarily who stood by, listening quietly. He didn't see any sort of indication that Daryl was for or against the notion. For a second, Rick's eyes landed on Lori off in the distance. She was beside the Chevy, bent on her knee in eye level of Carl as she spoke to him about something Rick couldn't hear. He watched as Carl was nodding his head to her before she frowned, bringing her hands to her eyes and rubbed at them. Almost by instinct, Rick brought his hand to his face and pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes.

The longest the group ever camped anywhere was for a couple of days, and that had been a while ago. Maybe Rick was worried about the upcoming winter that was chasing them down, and the inevitable snowfall that was about ready to happen. The clouds still held overhead. As much as collecting supplies was important, Rick had to realize that the health of the group was always top priority. Hershel had been the first to say anything on the matter, and Rick supposed it was the only time he even acknowledged the dark circles under everyones eyes. Maybe the cold floor of an old abandoned factory wasn't exactly a class up from the seats of the vehicles but it was definitely a proper change that the group probably needed. It gave the supported leg room and might even ease the mentality that they were and always needed to be on the run. A roof over their heads was probably the psychological stability everyone needed.

Rick then turned to Daryl. "How secure is it?"

"Got a few broken windows. Doors are chained up," he answered him. "Don' think any walkers could've gotten in."

Shifting his eyes, Rick looked back at Hershel. He watched him thoughtfully, waiting for the verdict to his suggestion. He nodded to him in respect before his gaze left him, returning to the length of the road.

"We'll head on over then, check it out."

* * *

When Elena pulled the Dodge Ram onto the cracked, dry road, passed the broken down fence Rick led through, she didn't know what to expect. All she knew from Hershel was that they may have found shelter, not just for the night, but for a few days. The idea for a second felt unreal. They never stayed long in shelter, mostly just for a night before they packed up and went back on the road. She supposed it was a lot better than sleeping in the woods she had done with Toni, but the thought of actually staying under a roof for a few days was inviting. They could finally sit down and take a breather for once, and that was the only thing Elena wanted and needed right now.

When Rick braked in front of her, she did too, putting the truck in park. She scanned over the elongated factory that stood before them. It wasn't exactly luxurious. The windows were fogged with dirt, some of the glass broken and cracked. The metal pipes outside were rusted with age, the orange taint bleeding down the eroded white bricks. Dried weeds pour out of the crevices in the pavement the factory stood on. No, it wasn't luxurious, but it was the most spacious shelter they had come across in a long time.

"C'mon," T-Dog whispered beside her suddenly, nodding his head toward Rick who just stepped out of the Chevy.

Elena grabbed her crowbar from the backseat and stepped out of the Dodge with T-Dog. She walked a few paces ahead, staring up at the height of the building before looking off in the distance where she saw a couple of walkers staggering along. Elena found that lately, she wasn't as alarmed at seeing them as she use to be. From a distance, she knew she was safe and wouldn't need to worry about them unless they got closer. But she kept an eye on them anyway.

Rick was staring toward the building, lightly tapping his Gator Machete against his thigh before turning toward her and T-Dog. "Elena, you and Maggie stay by the vehicles. The rest of us are goin' to scout the inside, make sure it's empty."

"Are we really gonna stay here?" Glenn asked as he approached from behind Elena, his voice curious.

Rick only gave one nod. "Only if it's secure." His eyes then shot toward T-Dog. "Go get the bolt cutters."

Elena watched as Glenn walked passed her, with Rick and Daryl as they went ahead to the front doors where they were chained up with a padlock. T-Dog eventually came running with the bolt cutters and the others gave him room to cut the lock.

Hearing a car door close behind her, Elena turned. Maggie came slowly to her side, staring toward the men as they slowly entered in the abandoned building, Daryl and Rick in lead.

"I hate when he goes in without me," she whispered quietly, her lips frowning.

"He'll be fine," Elena reassured.

Maggie gazed at her then. "Don't you worry 'bout Daryl when yer not with him?"

Elena scrutinized her eyes for a second, trying to push the events of last night away from thought so she could think clearly. "When I had to stay behind 'cause of my ribs, I use to. But now I trust Daryl can take care of himself." She gazed at Maggie and gave her a small smile. "Besides, Glenn isn't alone. Everyone's got each others backs."

Maggie pursed her lips but eventually her troubled stare lowered and she returned the smile before nodding her head in agreement.

It look longer than Elena assumed it would for the guys to return from the depths of the factory. However, she had to remind herself that it took time to scout through a building so large rather than the small scale of a house. Even so, Elena didn't like staying out in the open for too long. Although hidden in the large scape of the factory's land and behind fences, the area made her nervous. She had only seen a few walkers so far, but the threat of the cannibalistic things wasn't what worried her. Maybe it was a thought of paranoia at this point but somehow she still wondered if Nathan and his men were nearby. Rick had led the group a far distance from where she had reunited with Nathan at the houses but there was that small chance that they could have followed. But maybe it was a lot smaller than Elena thought.

She didn't know where he was, and who knew, maybe he could be taking shelter in this factory right now. Although, that assumption was already deemed untrue from the rotted chains that still kept the doors firmly locked. Even the cracks in the windows weren't big enough for a body to sneak inside.

Despite encountering someone she knew as much as she did Nathan, it didn't change the fact that discovering more survivors in a world like this terrified her. The hijackers that had killed her group before was enough for Elena to grow wary of other human beings. Finding Rick's group had only been a desperate choice that she needed to take and seeing that there were women and a child with him, it immediately diminished any regard for caution. Elena thought, maybe it was because she had been away from other people for such a long time that finally seeing another group was a comforting warmth that she longed for. She trusted them almost instantly, and thankfully her intuition hadn't been wrong.

Now, if they discovered other survivors Elena knew that she couldn't let her guard down, not once. As much as she thought her humanity was still intact, things couldn't be said for other people.

"Elena."

When she heard Maggie's call, Elena turned seeing her gesture toward a walker that was slowly advancing forward toward the vehicles. Elena was closer, so she twisted the crowbar in her hand, readying herself for the attack. The dead woman hissed and stumbled on her bare feet that at times stepped over her ripped dress that dragged across the pavement. It gaped its black slimy teeth, its lifeless eyes turning to Elena at her approach. It growled at the sight of her, reaching its arms out.

Elena side stepped, dodging its curled bloodied fingers before swinging the flat point after the curve of the crowbar into the walker's skull. The strength of her swing forced the tool to drive straight through bone and into the sensitive brain tissue that squirted out blood in response. Elena yanked the tool back just as the walker dropped and she sighed with relief.

She hadn't used her crowbar in a while and this had been her first kill with the weapon since she allowed her ribs to heal. The vibration that ran up her body from the force hadn't pained her and it was a breath of fresh air knowing now that her ribs were passed the point of them being a concern any longer. As if needing a confirmation that she was okay, she jabbed the tool against the air, trying to rid the blood that dripped from it.

She turned then, retreating back near the vehicles to wait with Carl, Lori, Beth, Hershel and Carol who were by now standing outside the vehicles. Everyone stayed silent for the wait, mostly to hear for any indication of danger either outside, or inside the factory.

When they heard the loud creaking from the rusty hinges of the door everyone perked up. Rick pushed the door open, leaning his back against it as he waved for everyone in. Glenn, T-Dog and Daryl stepped out then, putting away their weapons before reaching toward the back of each vehicle for their necessities. Elena immediately went in to the back of the Dodge Ram to grab her backpack and duffel bag while T-Dog grabbed Toni's which held the left over ammunition they still had from the hunting store they raided weeks ago. Elena threw both bags over her shoulder, closing the door and moving around to the back, opening the tailgate. She reached for the box that they were currently on for food until her hands collided against someone's arms.

She glanced up in that instant, her eyes meeting Daryl's. Elena looked down for a second, realizing that she had intercepted his path in his reach for his bag he normally left in the back of the Dodge Ram.

"Sorry," she immediately apologized almost self-consciously and jerked her hands back.

Daryl stared at her, his brows slowly furrowing. He lowered his eyes thoughtfully before turning his head and taking his bag. He threw it over his shoulder and walked away.

Elena watched him go as she worried her bottom lip. It almost felt like the first time they met, that awkward interaction they had in the very beginning. And she wanted to curse herself. The worst thing she could do now is treat Daryl differently just because of what he confessed to her last night. To treat him like he was fragile. She knew he wasn't but at the same time the new information she learned made her think twice of how to be with him.

Quickly, Elena shook her head and try to clear her mind. She grabbed at the box and shut the tailgate, following after Carl and Lori who were making their way into the factory. Rick held the door for them and Lori slowed her steps, analyzing the high ceilings that held the maze of vents and the small windows above.

The interior of the factory was dark, the angle of the light from outside pouring through the dirty windows, illuminating only portions of the inside. The space was completely empty, besides the reminiscence of sheets of paper and water damaged cardboard boxes. The floors were scattered with gravel and broken pipes that had finally gave in from the rust. Elena could see the indentations of where the machines use to be when this factory was still running. At the end of the factory she could see a set of stairs that led toward a perch that was the second level.

"It's secure?" Lori asked aloud, her question not really directed to anyone.

"Didn't find any walkers," Glenn decided to answer her. "There was a room on the second level but it's lock. I think it use to be the generator room."

Taking one final look around, Elena decided to make her way toward Carol, Hershel and Beth who were beginning to set up a living space at the far right of the factory, near the windows. Carol was placing down blankets with Beth while Hershel placed down the groups bags. Elena set the box of food next to them.

"Should get some wood," T-Dog inquired. "Get a fire goin' for tonight. Think those windows are enough ventilation?"

Hershel was nodding his head. "The high ceilings are enough to spread out the smoke. We'll need to find dry wood."

Rick approached then. "Alright. Glenn and T-Dog come with me." He turned toward Daryl who was standing around observing the factory. "Handle things here, we won't be long. We'll put new locks on the doors for some security if we're gonna stay here a couple of days."

Daryl nodded his head to him and with that Rick, Glenn and T-Dog left.

Visibly, Elena could see Carl staring after his father as he walked out the doors, a frown on his lips. With Rick setting up all the orders, he hadn't once looked at his son and maybe he was feeling neglected, or just wanted to go with him.

"Carl," Elena called out after him. "Wanna help me sort out the food for dinner?"

Reluctantly, Carl nodded his head and came to her side. She gave him an affectionate smile, hoping that would ease the sad look on his face. The least she could do was keep him busy until Rick and the others came back. Although, she was doing it for herself also, to keep her thoughts at bay.

By the time Rick, Glenn and T-Dog returned, the sun was finally beginning to set, the light pouring from the windows beginning to dim. Carol had set up a large pot in the middle of the surrounding blankets in order to control the fire that T-Dog was beginning to set up with the dry wood they had collected. Rick and Daryl were keeping busy scanning through the windows for any possible signs that they may have alarmed walkers in their presence, but so far in the moment there were less than a few out there staggering about, to far to be aware. Elena and Carl had gotten the cans of food set near Carol and Lori to cook as Beth grabbed the plastic plates they kept.

"How long?" Carl asked curiously as he crossed his legs underneath him, watching his mother.

"Ten minutes, baby," Lori answered him softly.

Elena lowered herself beside Carol, deciding to warm herself near the fire considering the cold air was already beginning to flow through the cracks of the windows. And the cold ground wasn't much helpful. She peered above the fire, into the distance toward Daryl who walked slowly, his head turned toward the windows, crossbow in hand.

"Everything alright with you two?"

Elena shot her eyes toward Carol who had whispered the question, a small smile on her lips.

"Oh, yeah," Elena lied. "Why do you ask?"

Carol brought her eyes back to the food cooking. "You two have been quiet—well, Daryl is always quiet, but not you."

Elena smiled at her. "Yeah everything's okay. Just tired, y'know?"

"Okay." Carol smiled again. "When this is done do you mind giving him his plate?"

She nodded her head in response, thinking it over. Maybe this was the time to talk to him. Elena had enough time to think through the things that she would say. She still was unsure, but first thing was first, he needed to understand that she was sorry that she asked about his scars without thinking. In the moment, Elena supposed that Daryl's insecurity about them was only there because they littered his entire torso. It didn't bother her at all. The only thing that was going through her mind when she saw them was that Daryl was finally beginning to open up to her. And she was happy. The question about them was just an after thought, assuming so they they may have been a childhood accident or injuries he had gotten since the world ended. Elena wasn't expecting the answer Daryl had given her. And she felt ashamed.

The apology was already something she was prepared to give to him, and maybe also she needed to loosen up the hold she had pushing him to open up more. Maybe her yelling at him yesterday about showing her something had created results but Elena knew that now she couldn't approach Daryl that way anymore. Was she scared of hurting him? Elena would be lying if she said no. Daryl was complicated, a lot more so than she had been made to believe.

When Lori began distributing the food onto the plates, Elena took the one Beth offered her before standing and making her way toward Daryl.

At her approach, Daryl shifted his eyes toward her and leaned away from the window he was gazing through.

"Hey," Elena whispered then offered him the plate of food.

Daryl didn't say anything, throwing his crossbow over his shoulder and taking the plate from her hands.

Daryl couldn't look her in the eye, not with that look she'd been giving him all day. He knew as soon as he showed her his scars, things between them were going to change. And maybe not for the better. He couldn't avoid it. As much as he wanted to be a coward and jump out of the truck last night, he decided not to. He decided that Elena was worth seeing the darker part of him. She hadn't said a word upon seeing them, and Daryl made the assumption that he was safe from speculation, letting the relief settle before he absolutely made sure.

He damn well knew she was going to ask about how he got the scars, he just hoped she wouldn't, but that was just naive hope he unfortunately had. As soon as she asked the question, their moment together, even her declining pretty boy's offer and deciding to stay with him and the group, had been completely pushed to the back of his mind. He couldn't even face her, answering her question before he even changed his mind about letting her know. Letting her know who gave him these scars.

She tried to comfort him then, at a loss of words and Daryl just couldn't bring himself to let her touch him. It was the looming memories that made him feel altogether separate from her. Elena didn't understand. Even his attempt to leave the truck, he expected her to just let him go. That's what he wanted, but she didn't. She called out to him, and said the two words that he was dreading to hear.

_I'm sorry_.

The worst of all was the expression on her face. She stared at him as if he were damaged goods, stared at him like he was fragile. Daryl wasn't. He wasn't that little boy anymore, and he didn't want to be treated as such.

He didn't want to be angry with her, after all, it was obvious to expect an outcome like this. But he couldn't help feel disconcerted over the prospect that this could probably ruin things, make things more uncomfortable than they already were, just when things were getting better.

It was enough of her looking at Daryl differently, and she hadn't even seen the scars on his back. Hell of an outcome that would be if she did.

"Can I say something," Elena suddenly asked, making Daryl's jaw clench, "about last night?"

_Here we go_.

Elena gazed at him momentarily, waiting for him to finally look her in the eye. Maybe it was easier to say this when he wasn't looking at her, but Elena wanted Daryl to know she was sincere. She inhaled deeply when he finally lifted his eyes from his plate and met hers.

"I wanted to apologize. I should have never asked about your scars." Daryl's eyes narrowed, and she built up the courage to continue. "It was wrong of me. And now that I know why you—"

Daryl scoffed, immediately interrupting her. "You don' know jack."

She furrowed her brow then as he took his eyes away from her, his expression turning snide. But she stayed cool. Ultimately, he was right. She didn't know anything about his abuse, about how it really effected him as a person. She knew nothing.

"Look, I'm sorry—"

"I don' need this." Daryl shifted his body to the side, slightly shaking his head. "I don' need ya to feel sorry for me."

Elena frowned. "That's not what I'm trying to say."

"Ain't it?" Daryl lifted his eyes to hers then, his gaze hard and jaw tight. However, his eyes began to soften, narrowed with an understanding. "Should see the look on yer face."

She opened her mouth, but no words came out. And she never got the chance to think of something to say to that.

Elena closed her eyes in the instant Daryl brushed passed her and left. She brought a hand to her face, resting her palm over her mouth and exhaled.

_Shit._

Elena didn't even need to see her reflection to know what Daryl was talking about. She knew how she looked at him now. Like Daryl was vulnerable, like he was breakable. God, how could she be so stupid? She knew if she acted differently toward him all it was going to do is make things worse.

It's not that Elena felt sorry for him, granted that she hated Daryl had to go through abuse in his childhood, but she was worried about pushing too far now. Afraid that she was going to push him to the point of no return and he'd close himself off completely away from her. And that was one thing Elena knew she couldn't handle. She needed him now, needed him to keep away that feeling of being left alone in this huge empty world filled with ominous moaning monsters. Daryl had been there for her and had made her realize that she still had a chance of happiness. She couldn't bear the thought of losing him, her nightmares had been enough taunting she needed.

But she just didn't know what to say to him. She tried and all it did was dig her deeper in the grave she set herself up in.

When she finally found the strength back into her legs, Elena made her way back to the campfire. She reached for her backpack, pulling out her crowbar. She swapped her knife for her Glock 17 she had left in the bag and shoved it into the back of her pants. She grabbed at a flashlight also.

"Where you goin'?" T-Dog questioned, throwing another piece of wood into the fire.

Elena didn't look at him. "I'm just gonna take a look around."

"Don't you want to eat first?" Beth asked her, lifting the plate in her hand as indication.

"I'm not hungry."

Before they could pester her anymore, Elena turned and walked away. She knew the groups eyes were on her back but she ignored them, walking into the deeper part of the factory. Elena thought that maybe a walk around, checking out the area would probably blow off the mood she was in at the moment. Or would at least just give her time alone.

When she walked passed Rick, he called out to her. Elena stopped decisively, only turning his eyes to him.

"Don't wander too far," he told her.

Elena gave him a short nod and kept going. She could see from the corner of her eye Daryl was at the other side of the factory. She didn't know if he was looking at her, not that it mattered.

Elena made the conscious decision to look for that room Glenn had said was locked, in the moment giving herself a task to keep her mind busy.

She made her way up the narrow metal staircase to the perch. The floor there wasn't any cleaner, piled with trash and pieces of material that were so damaged Elena couldn't really guess what part of the factory they use to be. Considering the clouds had been overhead even in the night, the moonlight pouring out of the windows was less brilliant and Elena turned on her flashlight, the small circle of light illuminating the gravel and dust on the floor. She lifted the light to reach ahead, lighting up the rust painted walls and acid aged paper that either stuck to the walls or floors. It was completely quiet where she was, the only noise coming from the hushed voices by the campfire far away from her.

Elena moved slowly, shifting the flashlight to each of her sides. Even though Glenn had said there were no walkers, she couldn't help but still be alert, probably because the instinct of always being cautious was one that was hard to let go.

She walked around for a moment, stepping over the piles of debris and walking around the pillars that held the ceiling in place. Elena swung her flashlight up ahead again, finally finding the door. When she reached it, instinct had her grabbing the knob before hre brain came to the conclusion that it was locked. But when she twisted it, it drew open.

Elena furrowed her brow as she stood there. Didn't Glenn say it was locked? Maybe he was talking about a different door? However, as she gazed behind her, there was no other door to be found. Elena thought for a second whether to go in. If she turned back now, she knew that all she would be doing was worrying about Daryl especially with him in her view. She wasn't ready to go back.

So, she opened the door, her crowbar ready. But nothing jumped out at her. Elena exhaled, lowering the tool in her hand and stepped in.

Glenn had been right, it was the generator room. Old generators ran across the middle of the room, down far to the end. Elena scanned the area with her flashlight first before beginning to walk in. She tried to listen in also, for any indication of a noise. But there was only silence.

She kept tight her crowbar in her hand, always looking around from side to side. The paranoia was there. Walkers often moaned, growled, often made their presence known, but at some instances they kept quiet unless something crossed their path, something like warm live human meat.

Elena shook her head, trying to rid the thoughts. There was nothing in here and it had been a hell of a long time since she'd been afraid of the dark. Elena decided on the decision of turning back.

_Clink_.

Elena stopped, illuminating the light down to her boots. The light reflected against a small piece of gold that was rolling away from her toes and she bent down reaching for it. Taking it with her fingers, she brought it closer to her vision, shining the light against it.

It was a 9 mm empty bullet shell.

She twisted it in her fingers, feeling the cold metal before bringing her eyes and the light out in front of her. Someone had been here. Maybe recently, maybe not. Whatever the case, they hadn't come from the doors the group entered in, which means there was a back door somewhere, or maybe a compromise in the building's structure. Elena stood, thinking it would be better to inform Rick.

Pivoting on her heel, Elena made her way back to the door when she heard something. It was husky, breathless. It sounding like someone coughing.

In that instant Elena raised her crowbar, and went ahead toward the noise. Walker or not, if she didn't find it first it could cause circumstances that she didn't want to chance. The door was unlocked, and whatever or whoever that was in here could sneak out before Elena had the chance to warn the others. She tried to move as quietly as she could, hunching herself over thinking that might keep her hidden. She kept her flashlight pointed to the ground, reducing the risk of anything seeing the light and she walked nearby the generators. Elena caught something in the dark then as she neared the end of the room. From what she could see, it looked like the outline of a door. Maybe it led outside.

At the last generator, Elena crouched further, trying to peer around the corner. She lifted her flashlight. All she saw was a small pile of blankets.

Elena sighed. No one was here.

"Don't move."

Elena's eyes widened in that instant as she felt something hard get pressed against her spine.

"Hands where I can see them. Slowly."

Swallowing, Elena did as the voice asked. For a second her mind went straight toward Nathan and his men. The voice was male, but didn't sound like Nathan, neither Wess or that guy named Pike. The man's voice sounded rusty. Maybe he was the one who had coughed.

"Get up."

Elena straightened, knowing very well that the hard object against her back had to be a gun. She tried to inhale evenly, keeping her crowbar and flashlight lifted away from her body. She heard the man step up behind her and she froze as she felt him grab her Glock 17 from her waistband. She then heard him take a step back.

"Turn around."

She hesitated for a moment, but she realized she was in no position to refuse. What the hell had she gotten herself into?

When she finally faced the man, Elena had her flashlight pointed to the ground, but the light hitting off the floor was able to put the man in the dim light. He was a black man, about the same height as Daryl and Rick. He looked older though, his black hair aged with grey. His expression was like stone, his right arm outstretched, the other to his side. Elena looked at the gun then. She recognized it.

Elena may not have known much about guns but she knew it was a Smith & Wesson .40 Caliber handgun. She knew this because Toni owned one, and it had been the first gun she ever fired when he took her to the firing range a couple of years ago. But when she gazed at it, held tight and straight in the stranger's hands, she noticed something. Had it been any other gun it probably wouldn't have caught her eye, but she remembered how this gun operated, how to load it, how to fire it.

The safety was on.

Elena tried to not make it obvious that she noticed this, trying to keep her face as nervous as it had been seconds ago. She had two options then. Pretend the man still had control, or use this opportunity to attack. Elena knew her decision had to be made quick, if she took too long there was the possibility the man would know he had left the safety on. Unless that was his intention. However, she couldn't take the chance, not with her life on the line and immediately her decision for the latter was made.

"Drop the—"

Before she allowed the man to finish his order, Elena swung her crowbar at him, catching him off guard and knocking his gun out of his hand. The .40 fell and skid on the floor with a loud clank. Unfortunately, as much as her attack shocked him, his retaliation was acted on.

The man caught her crowbar tight in his hand and by instinct Elena lifted her boot to kick his stomach. He blocked it with the hand holding her Glock 17, the pistol dropping from his grip. The man's hold on her crowbar was still held on tight and Elena lifted her left hand with her flashlight in an attempt to knock it against his face. The force wasn't as strong as it would have been with her dominate hand, but the man nonetheless recoiled, ripping the crowbar from her grasp, throwing it to the floor and brought his other hand to his face.

Elena dived then, to the direction she saw her gun land to the side. She had dropped her flashlight, and it rolled on the floor, the light coming from the bulb only partially illuminating the space for her. When she saw the silhouette of the gun, she reached for it, on her hands and knees. But she stopped.

Elena coughed out loud, a strangled hold around her neck. She felt the heat of the man behind her, his arms locked around her trachea, suffocating her. Elena's eyes began to water as she clawed at his arms, trying to loosen his hold, her breath lost. She coughed again as he tightened around her and Elena became desperate. She tried to reach her hand toward the gun but her fingers were no where near it. The flashlight underneath her was still rolling and when she saw the shine of the metal of her crowbar that was conveniently closer than her pistol she reached her hand to it.

Her fingertips were only able to graze it, the man's lock on her throat beginning to stifle her movements. She tried pulling forward but she felt dizzy, the oxygen no longer circulating to her brain. Her strength felt like it was weakening and she lowered herself further to the ground, eyes pinched shut, her fists now banging against the man's arms but his hold didn't loosen.

"Daddy?"

Elena shot her eyes open, the small voice coming to her ears. The man's hold on her in that instant faltered.

She knew she couldn't hesitate, as much as the voice came out of no where, it had distracted the stranger that held her. She could breathe and Elena pushed for her crowbar. She grasped it with a death grip, swinging it behind her shoulder, unsure where she was aiming. But she heard the loud crack of metal hitting a skull, followed by a pained cry. She knew she hit her target.

The man let go of her and Elena jumped for her Glock 17. Her movements were faster than her brain could register as she switched the safety off, pulling back the slide, hearing a bullet enter the chamber and she turned on her back, aiming ahead.

"Daddy!"

"Natasha stay back!

"Please don't hurt my daddy!"

The sight in front of her illuminated by the little light made every muscle in her body freeze and Elena couldn't blink away.

* * *

As soon as Rick heard the echo of a clatter, he snapped his neck toward the direction it came from. His eyes in that instant shifting to Daryl who had took a step forward.

"Elena..." Rick whispered, realizing that she was no where in view.

In that moment, Daryl began running and Rick followed, yelling back at the others as they stood from their seats around the fire, to stay where they were. Daryl was already a few paces ahead, his crossbow raised in his right hand. Rick pulled out his python, practically leaping forward to catch up. Rick couldn't hear anything then besides their trudging footsteps and harsh breathing as they reached the stairs, both of them skipping steps to reach the perch faster. Rick and Daryl were disoriented for a second, unsure where the noise had come from when Rick caught sight of the door that led to the generator room. It was wide open.

Wasn't it locked?

"Daryl!" he called out to him, already making his way toward the door.

Rick jumped in, revolver raised, crossed over with his flashlight as he peered in. He could hear Daryl rushing up behind him, his crossbow ready in his hands and he immediately pushed in front, making his way around the generators in the middle of the room.

"Elena?" Daryl called out.

Rick walked up behind him and immediately stepped to his side, completely alert at the scene in front of them.

"Wait!" Elena cried out, immediately stepping in front of the aim of both their firearms.

In that instant, Rick lowered his revolver, and Daryl hesitated also. Elena stood before them, her arms outstretched, sweat shining her face that was slightly red. She was out of breath, huffing as she stared hard at the two of them. Slowly, she lowered her hands, reluctant before taking a step to the side, and Rick lowered his flashlight to the direction she was looking at behind her shoulder.

Rick took in the sight, his eyes slightly widening and he was at a loss for words.

A black man laid on the floor, blood trickling down his brow. His eyes were wide with caution and fear, glazed over as he held something against him. Or rather someone. The figure was small, trembling in his arms, their face buried against his chest. Then they lifted their head, and the light brought forth the face of a little girl.


	23. Chapter 23

**So sorry for the late update, but I was finishing up my last week of school, which means final projects that needed my attention. Not to mention some other shit that decided to happen. Besides that, I finally got this chapter done and because there's so much I had to break it off to give myself time to finish the rest. In light of the last chapter, for those of you mad at Daryl, don't be! Poor guy is still trying to figure out the concept of a relationship. For those of you mad at Elena, well she's only human and she makes mistakes, after all this is the first time she's been with a man like Daryl.**

**I also wanted to answer a question that a few of you may have had that had been asked by _XxAnimeCutiexX_ (thanks for the kind reviews btw ;)). The question was when this story was going to bleed into the plot of The Walking Dead Season 3. Right now I don't have a set time and there's still some ideas I want to get through, plus developing character relationships more and I still want to make the snowfall happen. Other than that, hope you enjoy this one.**

**I take no credit for characters with an exception to my OC's.**

* * *

His name was Don Philips, former architect for commercial buildings of Atlanta. He had twenty-five years of experience in the business under his belt, and had worked a hell of a long way to get that far.

He grew up with only a mother to raise him in Detroit, deep in the ghetto on a street home to drug dealers and gang members, until his mother was unable to pay the mortgage of their house and it was repossessed. Don was ten when they moved to Georgia to live with his grandparents in the families farm so his mother could find a stable job and start a new life. That was until she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She fought for fours years and passed away just a couple of months before Don's fifteenth birthday.

The death of his mother completely turned his life upside down, completely changing the kid he was, completely changing the person he wanted to be. Don worked long and hard through his studies, devoted all his time to his education, devoting everything he had to become a man that his mother would be proud of. In university, he met his future wife, got married and finally created the family he always dreamed of.

But it was all a dream, and nothing in Don's life was ever that simple.

At the birth of his sweet baby girl, Natasha, his wife had passed away due to complications. There was nothing more they could do, the doctors had said. Don was left alone, as a single parent, to take care of a baby that was barely a few hours old.

Don's life had never been simple.

And yet, that was only just the past.

Now, all Don was was a father protecting his six year old baby girl from a world that had gone and dove into hell. All Don could do was keep his daughter alive, to give her the days that had been thought as lost when the dead began to walk the earth. All Don was was a desperate father that would do anything to keep his little girl safe.

The young woman he had attacked not moments ago was only through parental protectiveness. The woman was just a few paces away from his daughter who he had left wrapped under the blankets to hopefully calm down the chills she'd been having.

Don had just come back from the back door of the factory to discover the group of survivors that had broken in through the front. They had vehicles, three of them, all stocked up. He didn't see them, didn't know what they looked like and Don thought about taking Natasha and running. He hadn't trusted other people for weeks now, especially now with Natasha so weak and her illness draining all the young energy she use to have.

Seeing the woman, with a flashlight in one hand and a crowbar in another, instinct took over. But as much as he would do anything to protect his little girl, Don just couldn't switch the safety off on his .40 caliber pistol he had found off the body of a dead man a couple of weeks ago. He had savoured the bullets. He never shot the pistol, he knew the noise would attract those demons out there, and he couldn't risk that, not with Natasha with him. He thought if he just aimed the gun, maybe the woman wouldn't even know he had no intention of killing her. Maybe if he kept the control, he could find the chance to knock her out or something, and get the hell out of there before her group noticed she was missing. But it hadn't gone the way he had planned.

The woman attacked, which had caught him off guard and Don did everything he could do. He never had killed another human being—the things outside were different, they weren't human, they were demons disguised with human faces. But he would do anything to protect his little girl. However, the commotion had woken up his daughter and her voice calling out him dropped him back down to reality.

Don couldn't do it, not with Natasha watching, and it had been the biggest mistake of his life. It gave the woman enough time to grab the crowbar he had dropped, hitting him hard over the head with it. It opened up a gash across his forward, the hit making him see stars until he realized Natasha was beside him and the woman had her pistol aimed toward them. In that moment, Don's heart had stopped.

All these days, working so hard to keep him and his daughter safe and this was how it was going to end?

But she didn't pull the trigger.

In that instant, the woman had lowered her gun, the little light shining her widened eyes as she stared at them. Don held Natasha to him tightly as she trembled, screaming for the woman to not hurt him. These were things he should be saying for his little girl.

The woman just stared, her face red and sweaty from him having strangled her seconds before. She slowly got to her feet, just as he heard the stomping of footsteps fast approaching.

Don's arms on Natasha tightened, fear having the blood flowing through his body to run cold.

The woman perked up when he heard a deep southern drawl call out a name. Elena, if he could remember. He saw the bright light from behind the generators, blinding him when they came into view until the woman stepped in front, blocking the light.

"Wait!"

And all there was, was heavy silence.

* * *

Rick lowered his flashlight slightly, the scene in front of him not being one he had anticipated. His eyes shifted from the man and little girl to Elena. Her eyes were big and wide and she was still out of breath.

He saw movement then, in the corner of his eye and Rick stepped forward, both his python and flashlight raised.

The man hastily jolted, letting go of the little girl, diving forward to Elena's feet. In that instant, Daryl sprung forward from his side, grabbing Elena and pulling her back hard behind him as he lifted his crossbow.

The man grabbed something in his hand, and it was then that Rick realized he wasn't trying to attack Elena, but was going for the .40 caliber pistol that was left abandoned by her boots. The man got to his feet and Rick finally let his mind focus at the danger that was now set in front of him.

"Lower the gun," Rick said as orderly as he could as he adjusted his python in his hand.

He had the light on the man's face. His nostrils were flaring, his eyes wide and glossy and his teeth clenched together. He kept his aim tight and ready.

"No."

"Daddy?"

"Stay behind me, Natasha," the man said quickly, lifting his other hand, shielding the little girl behind him. The girl stayed on the floor, a blanket wrapped tight around her. She was whimpering quietly, her eyes pinched shut.

Rick gazed down at the little girl momentarily, trying to think. They were staring down the barrel of a .40 and yet, there was no way Rick was going to the pull the trigger of his own python. Definitely not in front of the little girl.

The man stood protectively in front of her, his hand still outstretched, his eyes never blinking. The little girl was now trembling behind him and Rick furrowed his brow.

He averted his eyes to Daryl for a second who quickly glanced at him but kept his crossbow steady. Elena stood behind him, her hand on her neck. She didn't raise her pistol along with them, and she looked completely absent.

When Rick returned his eyes on the man, he lifted the barrel of his python upwards so it was pointed to the ceiling and no longer threatening. He raised his other hand holding his flashlight above, as a gesture of surrender.

"There's no need for this," he said. Rick gestured toward Daryl. Reluctantly, he lowered his crossbow.

The man's eyes began fluttering, from Rick, to Daryl, to Elena, to back where they started. He was breathing heavily now and Rick acknowledged the look of severe fear in his eyes. But somehow, he didn't think it was his fear, but it was the fear for the little girl behind him.

Rick made a move then, lowering his python completely and holstering it.

The man blinked, his aim slightly wavering at that. His sight shot to Rick's holster and he kept it there for a long time.

"D-Daddy, I'm scared—" The small voice was cut off in that instant, interrupted by a series of coughs.

The man's aim began to tremble and his eyes left Rick's holster, looking behind him. The girl didn't stop coughing. The man glanced at Rick for a moment, his brows now furrowed with worry, and a possible plea that watered his eyes.

He bent on his knee, dropping the gun to his side as if it was rendered unimportant, before taking the little girl and rubbing her back. She coughed a couple more times before his soothing finally let her settle. She was clinging on him tightly. The man held her.

"Rick."

When he moved his gaze, he realized Daryl was watching him. He was waited for the next order. What was their move?

Rick looked back at the man.

"We ain't got anything," he said, his eyes stern on Rick's. "Leave us be."

"We can help you—"

"We don't need your help."

Elena silenced then at his strong tone. Rick looked back at her. She was staring toward them and when he followed her gaze, he realized her stare was intently on the little girl. Rick took a step back, only half turning toward Daryl and her.

"We can't just leave them here," Elena whispered. Her voice sounded raspy and hoarse. She tried clearing her throat then, her hand still rubbing her neck. Rick narrowed his eyes, lifting his flashlight in order to see the red irritation of skin underneath her fingers.

"He attacked you?"

Elena's eyes shot toward him, along with Daryl's. However, Daryl's gaze averted to her, his brows furrowed. Rick could see the focus in his eyes and the tightening of his hands on his crossbow. He saw the concern in his gaze and yet Daryl didn't make a move to make sure she was okay.

"He was protecting his daughter," she said dismissively. Her voice was cracking and strained.

Daryl's eyes narrowed as he exhaled a long breath before he glared behind him, back to the man. Rick did the same, his look of calculation rather than malice.

The man held the little girl protectively against his chest, a blanket wrapped around her like a cocoon. He was still rubbing her back soothingly even though her fit of coughs had ended minutes ago. She was trembling now, her big eyes wide with confusion and fear.

No matter what they said, the man wasn't going to trust them, and it brought Rick back to his days of being a sheriff. Back in the day, when he use to bring suspects in for questioning. It may have been a while ago, but Rick still remembered those days.

Some suspects were harder to break than others because trust was such a difficult thing to achieve. Brute force may have been Shane's way, but Rick liked to take the more difficult approach. To get them talking by the negotiation of words. Rick wasn't completely naive, he understood that some methods had to be done depending on the suspect. Maybe sometimes his method of questioning didn't work, but he thought, this time it could. If the man really wanted to do some harm, he would have kept the gun in his grasp instead of lowering it to keep the little girl comfortable. Rick knew it had to be his daughter, from the way the man held her, locked in his arms like a shield and yet in a comforting embrace. Rick knew what he needed to do.

"He's not goin' to trust us like this. Elena, go back to the others, tell them everythin' is fine. Explain the situation to Hershel and bring the bag with our medical supply." He looked back, his gaze thoughtful. "The girl is sick. If we offer him some hospitality maybe he'll allow Hershel to take a look at her."

Elena looked reluctant at first, but she nodded her head obediently. "Okay."

At the sound of her footsteps leaving the room, the stranger lifted his head, his eyes turning toward them. His brows were pulled together and Rick could still see the blood that had trickled down to the bridge of his nose. The blood was fresh and Rick could only assume that it was an injury he might have gotten from Elena fighting back.

Rick wasn't mistaken, he knew the reddening around her throat were strangulation marks, too big to be by fingers alone. Maybe he had her in a headlock and judging by Elena's crowbar left to the side, she had probably used it as a last resort for self defence. Of course, this was all speculation and Rick couldn't be sure whether that was true.

The stranger's eyes settled on him then, watching him carefully.

"We got medicine and supplies to help with that." Rick gestured toward the cut on his forehead. "One of my people can tend to you and your daughter."

"Like a doctor?"

Rick shot his eyes toward the little girl, who's small voice had asked the question.

"Shhh," the man immediately shushed her. The little girl lowered her head at that. The man returned his eyes on Rick. "No one goes near my daughter."

Rick gave a nod. "Alright, I can respect that. We can offer you medication to treat her."

The man blinked, his stare suspicious but there was a hesitation there that was hard to miss. Almost on cue, the little girl coughed again. Only a couple of coughs when she began tugging his sleeve.

"Daddy, ask them if they have water."

She whispered it, but considering the complete silence of the room, Rick heard every little word. The man opened his mouth, appearing to be ready to reply, but he looked to be stumbling on his words. Rick could see him briefly close his eyes before he lowered his head, his lips near the little girl's ear. His voice was too hushed for Rick to hear. Instead, he looked into the little girl's face where a frown formed on her lips and she slowly nodded her head.

Rick heard a step then, turning his gaze on Daryl who approached closer to him. He tilted his head before he spoke quietly, "what do we do with 'em?"

The question wasn't so much as concern as it was mild curiosity.

"We have to keep an eye on him," Rick whispered. "Can't risk lettin' our guard down."

"Really think he'd try anythin'?"

Rick narrowed his eyes, silent for a bit. And all he could think for an answer was the honest truth.

"I don't know."

By the time Elena returned with the medic bag and Hershel, she realized as much as she was worried, the situation hadn't changed. The man and his daughter were still together by the floor while Daryl and Rick still stood several feet away from them.

Elena had been bombarded with questions as soon as she returned to the group, and she gave them the briefest of answers. That they found other survivors.

She could tell that hadn't satisfied their needs in knowing what was going on but she didn't have time to explain. She had grabbed Hershel, giving him the run down of the situation as they returned back. She was worried if she took too long, something might happen. Maybe the stranger would take the chance to attack, thinking of it as the last resort in order to protect his daughter, like he had done with Elena. Maybe Daryl or Rick could have gotten hurt if she didn't return fast enough. Anything could go wrong. But every little worry, every negative expectation she had faded away. The pessimist inside her finally stayed silent and she sighed with relief.

Hershel and her approached Rick and Daryl.

"What's her condition?" Hershel asked quietly.

"She has a dry cough," Elena told him. She hadn't given him the specifics of her illness, not that she knew much herself.

Hershel frowned. Elena shifted her eyes back to the stranger and the little girl. Both of their eyes on them. The little girl's eyes were a lot more curious while the man's gaze was full of caution.

"Is there a water bottle in there?" Rick suddenly asked her.

Elena only nodded and Rick went for the bag, grabbing at a stray water bottle. Rick turned then toward the man and little girl. He lifted the water bottle in view while his other hand was carefully at his side. He appeared to be using it as a peace offering.

However, in that instant the man pulled away from the little girl, his hand shooting for the pistol he had left abandoned at his side, equipping himself with it once again. He lifted the gun as he pushed the little girl behind him.

Rick stopped. "We're not goin' to hurt you."

Elena could see the strain in the man's stare, the look of conflict behind his lashes. He blinked a couple of times, his eyes looking toward the water bottle in Rick's hands. Elena could see his Adam's apple bob as he swallowed.

He sighed roughly, gesturing his pistol. And it took her a moment to realize he was gesturing it toward her.

"I want the girl to bring it."

Elena's lips gaped open, a little taken aback by his request. She looked toward Rick for confirmation and he furrowed his brow. Why did he want her to bring him the supplies?

The question hung in the air, and answers immediately rushed in thereafter. Elena had been the one to stop Daryl and Rick from causing any harm when they entered the room, she had been the one to offer them help. Elena wasn't sure if her being a woman was part of it also. Something about the male species built that wall that stood between them and trust.

"Lower the gun first," Rick said.

Reluctantly, the man did as he asked but he kept it down to his side. Rick turned his head and Elena caught his gaze. He gave her a quick nod, then another just behind her.

Elena momentarily looked over her shoulder at Daryl. His eyes were narrowed but he gave her a nod, jerking his crossbow slightly as a small signal urging her forward. It meant he was there and ready if anything went sour.

She inhaled then, taking the water bottle from Rick's outstretched hand. She approached slowly toward the man and the little girl, her eyes firmly on the pistol still held in his hand. As much as seeing the little girl had eased her instinct to be completely distrusting of him, the fear of not knowing what the man would and could do was there.

When she was close enough, she handed the bottle to him and he surprisingly dropped his pistol once again, taking the bottle. He uncapped it, bending on his knee and offering it to the little girl. She hesitated for a moment, her shaky hands taking it as she drank.

Elena bent also. She kept a safe enough distance away. She could take the gun if she wanted to, but Elena decided against it. If they wanted the man to trust them, taking the only weapon he had might not be the best choice. She watched the man for a moment, making sure the little girl had enough hydration and Elena realized how famished they looked.

"She's sick," she whispered after a while.

The man shot his eyes toward her. His gaze held a portion of hostility, but not so much so that Elena should be concern as of yet.

"Yes."

Elena nodded her head. "My friend can take a look at her. He's trained in medical practices."

"No." The man didn't hesitate as he answered, his eyes leaving hers and passed her. "I will look after her."

Elena frowned and looked back, unsure where to go from here. Hershel then took a careful step forward, in front of both Daryl and Rick. The man had his eyes on him, but he didn't make a move.

"How long as she been ill?" he asked, his voice as soft and polite as ever.

"Couple of days," he answered after a minute.

"If I know her symptoms, we can offer you the best medicine for her."

The little girl lowered the bottle of water, her eyes watching her father for an answer. He looked at her for a second, his face troubled. Elena could see he was having a hard time trusting them, but the health of his daughter was weighing heavily on him also. Elena lowered the bag down to the ground, unzipping it open.

"We don't have much," she said. "But we'll definitely have something for her."

The man was nodding his head slowly. "Fever. She has a fever."

"We have a bottle of Tylenol in there, if that's all there is. Is it a cold or the flu?"

"I'm not sure..."

Hershel sighed and Elena went ahead looking for the bottle of Tylenol they still had left. When she found it, she offered it to the man. For a moment, she thought she saw gratitude in his eyes before he took it, uncapping the bottle and dropping one pill in his hand.

"You have to swallow it, okay baby girl?"

The little girl nodded her head, taking the pill and putting it in her mouth. The man helped, taking the bottle of water and making sure she swallowed it down. The girl coughed then, her cough so dry you'd think it belonged to an old woman. The man began stroking her hair, pulling her back against him and he turned his eyes back on Elena.

"Who are you people?"

Elena curved her lips into a genuine smile, trying to look as friendly as she could. "My name is Elena."

She then heard someone take a closer step forward. "Rick Grimes."

The man shifted his eyes nervously and nodded. "Don. Don Philips."

The little girl in his lap then lifted her head, her big eyes gazing up at Elena. Elena tried to keep the smile on her face even though the look of the girl from this distance brought an awful ache in her stomach. She couldn't be no more than five or six, but she looked drained of energy, her eyes tired, the colour from her face gone.

"What's your name sweety?"

The little girl blinked, then looked up at Don with uncertainty.

"Natasha," Don answered for her. "This is my little girl Natasha."

Elena smiled down at her but she only lowered her eyes bashfully.

"You got a towel in there?" Don gestured toward the bag, before slightly touching his fingers to his forehead where his fingertips became tinged with blood.

"We do." Elena immediately grabbed a small towel from the bag and gave it to him. "Sorry about that."

He slowly shook his head as he began wiping the cut, every so often checking the amount of blood the towel had been soaked with. "You got one hell of a swing though."

"Have you two eaten anything?"

Don moved his eyes behind Elena, his posture now more relaxed. "Very little."

"How long have you been here?" Rick questioned.

"Little over a week. Our car broke down and it was too cold out there to go on foot so we came here. Front doors were chained up, but I found the back door over there." He jerked his head toward the door Elena had spotted earlier.

"We got a campfire goin' if you'd like to join us," Rick offered.

"If it's all the same to you, I rather stay here with my daughter." Don placed the towel against his head again. "We don't know you or your people."

Rick tilted his head at that before nodding. "Fair enough."

The suggestion wasn't much of a polite offering as it was a precaution. Rick wanted to keep his eye on him. As much as he was a father just looking out for his daughter—which in a sense, Rick can completely relate to—men could do desperate things to protect their loves ones. Rick was prime example of that notion.

Don seemed like a good man, and his daughter was practically a baby, completely vulnerable and innocent. If Rick wasn't as cautious as he was, there could be that chance that Don could take their supplies from under their nose, even highjack one of their vehicles. Rick had to think of every possibility because human beings were highly more unpredictable than walkers could ever be.

He'd allow Hershel to do what he could for Don's little girl, even spare some food, but that was as much as Rick could only give.

"I'll bring you something to eat, you two must be hungry," Elena said.

Rick watched her. She seemed completely nurturing since she found them, having not regarded the fact the man had attacked her and caused the reddening around her throat. However, Rick could understand that seeing them, a protective father and his daughter suffering from an awful sickness brought out that sympathetic sensibility and that human obligation to help.

Rick turned, catching Daryl's gaze and he jerked his head back. Daryl glanced back at Elena, making sure she was okay to be left out of visual, Rick could only assume. He took a few steps back with him, out of earshot.

"If Elena is gonna bring them food, I want you to be with her. I need to head back to the others, explain what's goin' on." Rick looked back toward Don and his daughter. "Keep an eye on 'em. I'll take over in an hour."

Daryl didn't reply, only nodded his head at his order.

* * *

"A man and a little girl?"

The question in everyone's eyes was obvious but it had been Carol who had said it in disbelief. Rarely had they encountered survivors that by appearance was just like them. A family desperate to survive.

Rick had gone back with Hershel to explain the situation to the others that had been obedient and had stayed by the campfire by his instruction. Elena had come back with them while Daryl stayed to keep an eye on Don while she got the necessary amount of food before returning back. She agreed upon request to keep first watch over them with Daryl until Rick decided what their options were.

"Is he armed?" Lori asked him.

"Only saw one gun."

"I don't believe he is a threat to us," Hershel reassured. "His daughter is sick and if he has her best intentions in mind, he won't try anythin' to compromise us. We've offered him food and medical care as compensation already."

"How old is she?" Maggie asked quietly. "The little girl?

"No more than five or six," Rick answered.

Everyone's face went grave then. They didn't necessarily know the little girl's condition, but everyone assumed the worst. To be ill in a world like this, with medical attention scarce and hard to find, you'd need to prey for a miracle to get better. And with someone so young, a small body like that would have difficulty fighting any virus especially with lack of nutrition added to the mix.

"For now," Rick began, "we'll do what we can. I have Daryl and Elena watchin' them just in case. Can't be too sure whether we can trust him or not."

"He has a little girl," Lori said incredulously.

"A father would do anythin' to protect and keep their child alive." Rick's gaze on hers was hard, pent up with so much of a deeper meaning that in that instant Lori looked away.

"So, when we decide to leave, what do we do?" T-Dog asked. "We can't just leave them alone, can we?"

"Not if the little girl is still ill," Carol remarked, her voice pained.

Rick understood why.

Carol had lost her daughter, and because of the circumstance like this, where a little girl's health was in subject, Carol was sensitive to the issue. Rick in the moment could be also, after all he was a father himself. This is why he couldn't make a firm decision as of now. He needed to hear what the others had to say, as a sort of stepping stool so he could make a choice that was the most rational.

Glenn looked toward Rick. "How bad is she?"

Hershel began shaking his head. "Could be a cold. She's pale and has a severe dry cough. He also said she had a fever."

"Should be gone with the medicine we gave him," Rick said.

"So, that's it? Wait 'til she's healthy before we go so we can leave with a clear conscience?" T-Dog shook his head in disagreement. "I dunno."

Rick's jaw tightened. "What more can we do? We have little room and little food, and we're on the cusp of winter."

"No decisions need to be made now," Hershel said loudly as he stepped in. "We'll do what we can for his daughter, and we'll decide then."

"Will they be joining us here?" Lori asked.

Rick shook his head. "He doesn't trust us yet, which can be said about him as well. We'll have him under surveillance until I know for sure." He then brought his hand to his face, rubbing his eyes roughly. "For now, all of you should get some rest and we'll deal with this further in the mornin'."

Everyone nodded their head reluctantly.

When Rick made the decision to turn away, he heard Hershel quietly call out to him. Rick stayed still and waited, turning his head where Hershel approached his side.

"I don't think we need to be as cautious as we are with him."

Rick's eyes hardened. "We don't know him."

"He doesn't know us." Hershel thinned is lips to a tight line. "We've given him hospitality, Rick, isn't that enough for him to not see us as a potential threat? We do not need to rule him as an immediate enemy."

"You're a father. What _wouldn't_ you do for your daughters?" Rick asked him, his voice rough. "A man as desperate as that is capable of anythin'."

"I don't think he would do anythin' that would jeopardize the safety of his daughter," Hershel replied. "We should give him a chance."

Rick stared at the older man long and hard, before deciding to take his words to account.

* * *

Daryl waited behind, but not too far a distance. He wanted to make sure Elena was in his view while she gave the plates of food to the guy and his little girl. Daryl didn't know whether he trusted him yet, after all he did hurt Elena, but like she had said, it was only to protect his daughter. However, Daryl still did as Rick instructed. If the man tried anything at all, he would step in. Anything to protect her.

Maybe they still had the event earlier looming between them, and maybe Daryl and Elena still had a lot of problems they needed to sift through, but Daryl still cared for her. Despite the fact that Elena's earlier reactions to him had upset him, he found that now he was able to push that back as unimportant when other things needed to be put in attention. At that moment, it was Elena's safety near a man they didn't know that Daryl watched out for.

When Rick had discovered the marks around her throat, Daryl felt inadequate for not noticing it sooner. He had heard the cracking of her voice, the change, and it hadn't clicked, not until Rick asked if the man had attacked her. The marks would only be temporary, even now they were beginning to fade. He wanted to touch her, make sure she was okay but he couldn't. He still didn't know if it was because Rick was there in front of them, or if it was because of Elena's reaction over his past that caused the distance.

Elena stood from her crouched position after the man took the plates, lowering them down to wake up his daughter and to make sure she would eat. Daryl straightened when Elena turned, heading back to him. When she reached his side, the two of them looked back.

"I think that's the most food they've seen for days," Elena whispered.

"Yeah," Daryl said absently.

Don held Natasha's plate in his hand, trying to feed her while ignoring his own share of food. But she looked to be disinterested, only taking small bites to satisfy her father.

Daryl figured that she didn't have much of an appetite, no matter how starved they probably were. The cold or flu must have been a lot worse than they originally thought. Although, the father appeared to be patient with her, not saying a word when she would try to refuse.

When Daryl caught Elena staring at him from the corner of his eye, he turned to her. As surprisingly as it was, the tension between them from earlier wasn't there, set aside for more pressing thoughts that had erupted since they found the father and daughter.

"What's wrong?" she asked, her brows furrowed. "You and Rick have had the same look in your eye since we found them."

Daryl exhaled at that, looking back at the two before he jerked his head to the side to Elena. She followed him as they walked around the generator, out of view.

"We ain't keepin' watch to make sure they eat," he told her.

Elena's expression lowered. "I know. Rick doesn't trust him." She watched him for a moment. "You don't either, do you?"

"Dunno," he answered honestly, adjusting the strap of his crossbow on his shoulder. "Guess we'll find out."

* * *

Don knew they would be under watch now. They didn't trust him, and he could agree that the feeling was mutual. Maybe they had offered medical supply for his daughter, and even had given them food, but Don just couldn't let his guard down with them because of Natasha. She may have become a liability now, but a liability that Don would take immediate responsibility for. She was weak and frail but he knew she was going to get better, she had to.

Hopefully, the medication the girl, Elena, had given would finally lower her temperature. Her skin was still hot and her coughing had gotten worse. She hadn't slept, had barely eaten and even when she did nausea usually force it back up. Don knew he was getting desperate but he couldn't leave her on her own anymore to go scavenge for supplies. She needed his attention twenty-four/seven, and now with the group of survivors under the same roof with them, Don was completely dishevelled with the predicament he was in.

Elena and that redneck with the crossbow were close by but away from view. Don thought about running but any small movement of sound he made would alarm them. He didn't know whether they would chase them down but Don couldn't risk that situation. Elena seemed friendly enough, even that man that said his name was Rick. The redneck, which remained nameless, was another case. All he had received from him were watchful glares, especially when Elena had returned with food. He saw this sort of possessive and protectiveness in his eyes as he looked after the girl, and Don supposed it was because he was making sure she safe.

Don wouldn't have hurt her again, he had no reason to. By this point, he could deem her no longer a threat. After all, she had been the one to step into their line of fire in order to keep their aims lowered from Don and his daughter. From what he knew, Elena seemed to be on their side for now. Even so, it didn't mean he completely trusted her.

No one was going to go near Natasha. Don would make sure of that. He even made the plan during the time Elena offered the medication and food, that if she even reached for his pistol he had left at his side, leaving him completely unarmed, he would do something about it. That gun was his last defence, and who knew, maybe they were just being kind and hospitable until they took it from him. Leaving him with the disability of keeping the little control he still had in his situation.

Don brought his hands to his eyes, trying to rub away the exhaustion that was there. He hadn't slept in days, not with Natasha constantly waking with a cold sweat, nightmare after nightmare. His poor little girl. She couldn't stop dreaming of the dead people outside. She was still too young to understand what exactly was going on and why they couldn't trust these people. He tried explaining it, days before.

It didn't matter how friendly and hospitable people were, they couldn't trust anyone anymore.

* * *

Staying in watch was a long process, especially when Elena didn't know exactly what they were watching for. Don hadn't shown any sign of a violent threat besides his first attack—which Elena had already deemed as understandable. Elena understood Rick's precaution, but she couldn't see a reason to keep Don and his daughter on tight surveillance.

Through the hour, it gave her time to think it through. Daryl wasn't really talking to her, which she could already explain so she didn't linger on the worry of it. Their issues would always be there for her to worry about, so Elena focused on the issue of Don for the duration of their watch duty. She thought maybe she could find a way to convince him to stay by their campfire instead of the cold generator room they were currently in. Don was wary of them, more fearful than anything. He didn't trust them no matter the hospitality they provided. Even when Elena had given him the food, he seemed cold and quiet, his daughter the only warmth around. Although ill, somehow she seemed lively, demonstrating that innocence of age she had.

The poor girl. To be ill, especially with winter fast approaching? If she didn't get better soon, she could get worse.

Elena sat with her legs arched, her back leaning against the last generator at the opposite end of the room from the two. Daryl was leaning against the corner of it, his eyes still watching them. He had informed her about ten to twenty minutes ago that they were asleep. Nothing had changed since then.

Until they heard coughing.

Elena lifted her head from her arms and stood, using the generator to pick herself up. She went to Daryl's side and peered through.

Don was still leaning against the generator, same position as Elena had left him in. But his head was tilted to the side, his eyes firmly shut. She had seen the exhaustion in his eyes earlier, and having taken an Advil for the headache that was created from the injury, it might have completely knocked him out.

The coughing they heard hadn't ceased and Elena could see the bundle of blankets beside him flinching at each cough. Elena in that instant went forward and Daryl didn't stop her. She went to the little girl's side, bending and began rubbing her back to soothe her.

"Daddy?" Natasha opened her eyes, looking up at Elena when the confusion settled. "Where's Daddy?"

"Shhh," Elena shushed her. "It's okay, your daddy is asleep."

Natasha blinked her young big eyes. "Is there anymore water?"

Immediately, Elena went to grab the left over water bottle that had been set aside. "Here you go, honey."

Natasha sat up, adjusting the blankets on her shoulders, her small shaky hands taking the bottle. She took a sip when she pulled it back and coughed a couple of times. Elena frowned but she waited patiently as the little girl started drinking from the bottle.

"Better?" she asked her when she swallowed.

"A little," Natasha said shyly.

"Try to get some sleep, okay? If you need anything, I'm right here."

"Okay." She then offered back the water bottle.

Elena took it, the friendly smile on her face faltering for a moment. Taking the bottle, her fingertips had brushed over her skin that felt white hot.

Natasha laid back down, turning to her side away from her. Elena gazed at her sadly. She'd have to call back Hershel, the Tylenol hadn't brought down her fever. Elena decided to firstly fix the blanket that had fallen from the little girl's shoulders. But as she did, something caught her eye.

Something was bulging underneath her sweater on her shoulder, and that something was peeking out a little from the collar. It was white and thick. Elena reached to it, slightly moving the collar down, that was loose on the little girl's frame. The further she pulled, the more Elena could identify the white as the loose corner of folded up gauze that was held down by medical tape on her skin. But something was seeping through the gauze, the colour of a thick deep dark red.

Elena's eyes widened, not so much for the realization that it was blood, but the shape it created. Like the curve of a crescent.

Elena's hands were shaking, her brain rushing with a multitude of thoughts. From the exhaustion in Natasha's eyes, the lack of colour in her cheeks, the dry coughing, the blazing fever that burned her body.

"What are you doing! Get away from her!"

Elena was then shoved back roughly before a figure stood tall in front of her.

"Hey!"

Suddenly, Daryl stepped in front of her, swinging his crossbow off his shoulder and equipping, aiming it straight at Don.

Elena managed to stand back on her feet and Daryl shifted his body further in front of her. However, she could see Don over his shoulder, his wide crazed eyes that were darkened with both rage and what Elena could only describe as possible fear.

"No one goes near her!" he was yelling.

"Daddy?" Natasha called out behind him and stood up, tugging at his arm. "Why are you yelling?"

"It's okay baby girl," he soothed. "Everything's going to be okay."

"Her fever...," Elena choked out, her eyes never blinking. "She was..."

She couldn't say it, even with the evidence there, even with the look that Don was giving her. His eyes were pleading, fearful, angry, confused, all in one.

Daryl's stiff shoulders relaxed momentarily, reluctant as he lowered his weapon, having understood what she meant, Elena could only assume.

Don pulled Natasha to him and behind his leg. "I don't want you or your people anywhere near my daughter."

Finally blinking, Elena tried to rid away the shock before placing her hand on Daryl's arm. He looked back at her, his brows furrowed and unsure before he stepped back, alongside her.

Looking back at Don, she tried to reason, "Don, your daughter—"

"She's not turning into one of those things!"

"Daddy?" Natasha whimpered before she sniffled.

Don pulled his eyes away and lowered them to her. He then bent on his knee and embraced her against him. He began stroking her hair whispering the same things over and over again.

"It's okay baby girl, I'm not going to let them hurt you. I'm here, daddy's here. I won't let them hurt you."

All Elena and Daryl could do was stare.


	24. Chapter 24

**I know, I'm just plain evil. Even writing this chapter was tugging at my heartstrings and it sucked. But I think the best parts to write are emotional scenes and I'm sure other writers can agree with me. And because of that, this is a hell of a long chapter and took a long while getting done. And it also shows the reality of the struggles these people have to go through. But there is still some light at the end of the tunnel, even by the end of this chapter. I hope you guys enjoy it. Next chap will be a good one, promise. :)**

**Thank you for the reviews, would love to see more from you guys! Also if there are things you want to see which is the point of view of some characters let me know. By far, Rick is my most favourite, Daryl is the hardest and Elena is obviously the easiest. I always know what she's thinking. But if you'd like to see more of the others, give me a shout!**

**Chapter theme is 'Shattered' by _Trading Yesterday_**

**I take no credit for characters with an exception to my OC's.**

* * *

There hadn't been any commotion he heard from the distance and Rick assumed he could take his time returning to the generator room to take over watch duty. If there had been a problem since he had gone he was sure Elena or Daryl would have warned him but there was nothing.

Hershel had decided it was best that he joined in the watch, in case there was anything he could do for the daughter if her condition got worse. He was insistent that Don would allow his assistance if the condition of his daughter was worse than he could handle.

The group hadn't asked anything further of the man and his daughter but Rick could see the thoughts that flashed over their eyes, and the decision that needed to be made.

Rick turned around the pillar, toward the door that led to the generator room but he furrowed his brow just as he saw a circle of light exit along with a silhouette. From the feminine frame, Rick knew it was Elena.

"What's wrong?" he asked when he approached her.

Her eyes met his but there was an expression on her face that created a nervous ache form in the pit of Rick's stomach. Ideas began to formulate, everything negative. Her lips were in a deep frown, her eyes sad.

"We have a problem."

"The Tylenol needs some time to fight the fever," Hershel tried to reassure.

But she was shaking her head. "I don't think any medicine we have is going to work."

Rick furrowed his brow and Elena's expression grew grave. When he noticed the glaze over her eyes, the nervous ache went deeper. "What's happened?"

Elena shook her head again and rubbed her eyes roughly.

"Elena."

"She was bit."

Rick went still. He watched her closely, hearing the cracking in her voice but he knew it was from the strain of emotion than the pain on her neck. For a second, he couldn't believe her words and maybe he heard wrong but the look on her face said otherwise.

"Have you seen the bite?" he finally asked, barely recognizing his own voice.

"There...there was gauze taped to her shoulder with blood. The blood looked like the shape of a bite..." She sighed deeply. "Don was hysterical when I saw it."

"Where is he now?"

"Still in there. Daryl told me to get you. He thinks he might do something."

Rick nodded his head, looking over his shoulder at Hershel. He decided to enter the generator room, holding tight the grip of his python but keeping it holstered.

Daryl turned at their approach and Rick gazed passed him. Don was kneeling on the floor, cradling his daughter. But Rick only caught a glance of them, when Don's eyes shot toward him, striking Rick suddenly. He saw an impending fear, a crazed intention and Rick's grip on his gun went even tighter.

Don let go of his daughter, standing abruptly. Rick saw the pistol in his hand and he immediately pulled his revolver from his holster. But he didn't lift it, keeping in ready at his side.

"Stay right there," Don said, his tone completely deadly.

"Alright, I can do that," Rick replied calmly. He gestured his left hand toward him. "Just lower the gun."

"No, I won't let you take my daughter!"

"We're not goin' to hurt you or your daughter, that I can assure you. But you need to lower the gun."

"_No_. She's gonna be fine. My little girl isn't gonna become those things out there."

"Daddy," Natasha suddenly whimpered behind him. "Daddy, stop it."

"Be quiet, Natasha." He pulled his eyes from her, looking back at Rick, his eyes pleading. "Maybe you have more medication, something more that will help her fight the fever."

"Anythin' more we give her, at her age could kill her," Hershel said quickly.

Rick shook his head. "If she was bit...there's nothing we can do for her."

Rick saw it then, the flood of tears that came to the rims of his eyes. His grip on his pistol was trembling now. Rick felt his heart clench tightly as if he could feel the exact emotional pain Don was in right now. He couldn't imagine what it could be like, to know your child was burning with the infectious fever, and there was nothing you could do to stop it. It was even worse, knowing that the exact thing had happened to Carol's Sophia and the emotion burned deeper within Rick.

He holstered his python then, bringing his hand to the front of Daryl's crossbow that he had aimed and forced it down.

"You're wrong," Don began saying, shaking his head and repeating the same two words over and over. "You're _wrong_."

"All we can do," Hershel whispered, "is make her comfortable."

Natasha started tugging on Don's pants leg, her big eyes looking up at him. "What are they talking about? Daddy?"

"Shush, Natasha," he dismissed her. "I told you to stay behind me."

"Put the gun down, Don," Rick tried again.

"Why? So you can take her? Kill her!"

"Daddy—"

"Natasha, I told you to be quiet!"

Rick's jaw tightened, seeing the little girl shrink at his tone. "We can talk about this like men, there's no need for your gun on us. We've lowered ours, the least you can do is show the same consideration."

"I don't even know who the hell you are!"

What came next happened so fast, Rick didn't have the time to think of a reaction.

All he heard was a thud and the visible stiffness of Don's shoulders. He dropped to the floor then, Hershel and Elena rushing passed Rick. For a moment, he had to blink in order to register what exactly had happened.

Don was suddenly calling out his daughter's name, each time more urgent than the last. Elena and Hershel had knelt down beside him and Rick had to take a step forward.

The little girl laid on the ground, Don adjusting her in a more comfortable position. Her eyes were closed and she was unresponsive. Don was lightly tapping her small colourless cheeks, still calling out her name but she didn't move.

Elena wasn't sure what to do. When she saw Natasha continue to tug on her father's pants, trying to grab his attention and how she seemed to sway on her feet, she knew something was wrong. Seeing her suddenly crumble to the floor, Elena didn't think, she just jumped forward alongside Hershel.

Hershel placed two fingers just under her jaw against the hollow of her neck, searching for her carotid pulse. He let out a small sigh of relief. "Her pulse is low."

Don didn't appear to be paying attention, still trying to wake his daughter. Elena knew he was beyond reasoning, his mind could only and would only be focused on his daughter.

"Elena, grab that blanket." Hershel turned his sights on the little girl's father. "Don, we need to set her comfortably down."

He didn't say anything, the tears in his eyes just about ready to fall. He began nodding his head, lowering his daughter to the floor carefully. Elena rolled the blanket and placed it under her head as Hershel placed the back of his hand against her forehead.

"She's burnin' up real fast."

"There must be something we can do," Don whispered.

"I'm sorry, son," Hershel replied wholeheartedly, placing a supportive hand on his shoulder. "Right now, all we can do is wait."

Elena saw Don's bottom lip begin to tremble and she had to strain herself to keep her composure. Seeing him in tears with desperation, seeing Natasha faint onto the floor, so weak and brittle—all of it was taking a toll.

"I thought...I thought things were going to be alright. The thing only grazed her with its teeth... I thought, my little girl is a fighter, she'll get through this...I mean, a couple of days? Who had lasted that long with a bite? She's so young...she still doesn't understand...she doesn't understand..."

Don continued to ramble, his sentences becoming more broken and less with context that Elena could at all comprehend. He placed his hand tight over his eyes and he shook violently as he began to sob and it was enough for Elena to have to wipe the tears that were already falling down her cheeks.

* * *

"Should head back, get some sleep."

Elena took her hands from her eyes, feeling a brief touch on her arm and she turned her gaze to Daryl. He watched her carefully, his eyes levelled with concern, concern that she hadn't seen in a while.

Elena shook her head slowly, crossing her arms over her chest and adjusting her leaned position against one of the generators. "I'm okay."

Daryl's expression didn't change, unconvinced, and she tried to give him a reassuring smile, but it felt so forced that she couldn't bring herself to do it.

"I won't be able to sleep anyway."

He sighed, nodding in understanding and he looked back.

Don was by his daughter's side, Hershel at the other. Natasha still hadn't awakened but according to Hershel, her pulse was now stabilized. Her fever, however, was still blazing as ever. Elena wished they could do something for her but there was nothing and it made this whole situation so much worse. Natasha was so young, barely had begun her life and now she was headed toward the inevitable end that was drawing near, darkening the faces of everyone around. The thought of it was so terrible that it felt surreal. Unfortunately, this was the reality in a world they were in now.

Elena's mind returned to the middle school, to all those small bodies in the cafeteria. She inhaled sharply, old and new emotion bottling up again and she bit at her bottom lip to suppress them.

When Elena felt warmth on her cheek, she shifted her eyes, realizing that Daryl had his hand to her face, his thumb wiping away a tear that had fallen that she hadn't even noticed. She saw the same mirthless in his eyes.

The pain in his eyes though looked aged, pain from the past.

"This is reminding you of Carol's daughter, isn't it?"

Daryl lowered his eyes and she saw the muscle in his jaw tighten. "Yeah."

She remembered him explaining it to her a while back, when she was still new to the group. She didn't know full details but she knew as much as was needed. They had lost Sophia and found her as a walker. That was painful enough. But seeing a little girl just before? Seeing the pain she was in? Seeing the fever burn her? No parent should have to see that, let alone anyone.

Bringing her hand to his arm, she stroked it gently, to give him comfort. In that moment, she forgot about Daryl's scars, about his father, about his past. All that was running through her mind was the sad look and the opening of old wounds in his eyes.

He exhaled a long breath, but he didn't pull away. Instead, he shifted closer, just barely that Elena thought she might have imagined it.

When she heard footsteps, she turned her head, pulling her hand from him. Elena and Daryl brought their attention to Rick who had finally left Hershel's side. He looked absolutely exhausted, and solemn.

"You two should head back to camp and get some rest," he told them.

"Are you sure?" Elena asked.

"Not much you can do here. Hershel has things covered for now." He gave her a slight smile but it didn't reach his eyes. "We'll holler if anythin' changes."

"But—"

Daryl then grabbed her elbow, causing her to silence her words. She looked up to him and he gestured his head for them to go. Elena sighed and nodded her head.

"When you get back, don't tell the others," Rick said just as she was about to take a step. "I'll be the one to do it."

"And if they ask...about how she's doing?" Elena asked quietly.

"Tell them everythin' is fine."

Elena frowned. She had never been a superb liar, and something like this, something so heavy was a hard thing to lie about. The grief would be seen on her face, she knew, and the group would be able to see right through her facade.

"C'mon."

Daryl tugged at her arm and Elena found the strength back into her legs, falling in stride with him as they walked out of the generator room. He let her go then as they headed their way back. From her peripheral vision, she could see Daryl glance at her every so often but he didn't say anything. There was really nothing to be said.

By the campfire, everyone appeared to be asleep. T-Dog was standing around keeping protective watch, his eyes on them as they approached.

"Things good with that guy and his daughter?" he asked.

"Yeah." Elena grimaced at how fast her answer came and she swallowed the bile down her throat. She didn't look him in the eye in fear that he would see everything on her face. She went by her backpack and took a seat, the heat from the small fire not doing much in bringing back the warmth she had long lost.

Elena stared at the flames as they licked up the dry pieces of firewood, the cracks and pops filling the void of silence. She then heard the shift of moment, but she didn't pay much attention, her mind completely occupied with everything that had happened. Her eyes felt extremely sore and tired and she rubbed at them, hoping that would ease them. It didn't.

Something then was brought to her view and Elena focused on it before looking up.

"Eat," was all Daryl said.

Reluctantly, Elena took the plate he offered her of the leftover dinner that had probably been left for her earlier. She didn't have much of an appetite but she didn't dare refuse with the look he was giving her. It was stern and Elena supposed that he was trying to keep her mind occupied elsewhere and on taking care of herself.

The food was tasteless in her mouth but she forced it down anyway.

Daryl watched nearby making sure she had every last bite. She hadn't eaten since lunch, refusing any food after their scwobble earlier. She looked completely exhausted, her normally bright sun-kissed skin looking suddenly pale, the circles in her eyes more vibrant. The last thing they needed was her to fall faint too. Daryl knew that she wasn't going to get sleep, not just because of her worry for the little girl—the same worry that even plagued his mind—but because she still had trouble falling asleep in the first place. If she wasn't going to get any rest, at least she'd have some food in her stomach to keep her body from shutting down.

She was eating the food absently, her sight appearing miles away. Daryl could only imagine what was going on in her head. Probably the same things that were running through his.

He knew something was off with Don. He just couldn't tell what it was. Maybe, he thought, because he attacked Elena, Daryl's protective instinct would only see Don as a threat. There was something in his eye. It wasn't insanity, more like a crazed desperation. A crazed desperation that could only be seen as the expression of a man that was capable of anything.

Daryl wasn't surprised at that, in a world like this now, a lot of men had gone over the edge. Shane came to mind, but Daryl always saw him as unhinged even back in the quarry. The big honcho always calling the shots who also had a hard time controlling that temper of his. Don, however, seemed different. Strange. And now he knew why.

All he had left was his daughter and she was now branded with the death bite. It was a hell of a thing that he was going through and all it did was remind him of Carol. Seeing her little girl coming out of the barn, her skin as grey as it was, her young eyes hollowed out... And the way Carol broke in his arms. Daryl even felt a part of him break also. Having Elena mention it point blank in the generator room, Daryl wondered if it had been written on his face, or she somehow had found a way to read his mind that he normally kept closed off. Whatever the case, it didn't matter, Daryl was honest with her. This whole shithole of a situation reminded him exactly of the loss of Sophia. When she had given him that comforting touch, he was consciously aware how far a supportive hand could go and he was also surprised how much he needed it.

The pain in her eyes was something he couldn't miss either, hence the reason he tried convincing her to head back to the campfire, to get away from the mess that had unfolded in front of them. Elena couldn't do much more for the little girl and having her standing around concerned over the entire thing wasn't going to do her any good.

Even seeing her as she was, Daryl knew she was thinking heavily about it. It was probably the last thing she had expected to happen. When the little girl had woken up, strangled with that dry cough of hers, Daryl didn't stop Elena from going to help her. Poor thing looked so brittle and weak and seeing Elena take care of her the way she was, all it did was add to the number of reasons Daryl liked her. She took the trouble of comforting the little girl back to sleep and the whole scene made him feel something. Warmth maybe. He wasn't sure. And because of this, he hadn't reacted fast enough when Don jerked awake and shoved Elena from his daughter. Still, Daryl was there for her and seeing the crazed look in Don's eye, he immediately equipped himself with his crossbow.

Even now, Daryl was unsure if he had any intent in shooting an arrow into him, even in front of his daughter, but he wasn't thinking about that when he saw Elena being thrown on her back and Don standing over her. The only thing that had stopped him was the sound of Elena's voice as it cracked with overturning knowledge that Daryl didn't even need to hear her finish her sentence to know exactly what she was trying to say. The little girl was bit and that's why she was sick.

Don was beyond reason then and Daryl didn't know exactly what he was going to do so he had Elena go search for Rick, making sure she was out of the room in case Don went on a rampage.

When Daryl finally lifted his eyes from Elena, he could see the curious gaze that T-Dog was sending him. He knew something was up but Daryl didn't show a hint of what it was toward him. Rick said he'd take the responsibility of telling the others and Daryl had no problem with that. He didn't know how he was going to explain it, but Rick had his way with words, something that at times Daryl wish he kind of had. Especially with Elena.

Now that she was completely voided of any emotion, eating up the food like it was by habit rather than need, Daryl suddenly felt regret for the way he treated her earlier. It took a hell of a long time for realization to strike him, to open his eyes at the fact that all Elena was trying to do was apologize to him. His initial assumption was that she was going to give him this whole spiel of sympathetic talk that he didn't want to hear. He didn't even give her the chance to explain herself. It was the look on her face that drove him away, and what ever she had to say. Daryl didn't have the strength to deal with it, but now seeing her in the silent misery she was in, he didn't even care about that anymore.

After the last bite, Elena finally placed the plate down, drawing her knees up and hugging them to her chest. Her gaze was beyond the fire and it reminded him of how she looked the day Toni died. A reminder of how withdrawn she once was.

* * *

The condition of Don's little girl hadn't changed. She was stable, with an exception to her heightened fever. No medication was going to bring it down and seeing the child as she was, cringing in pain in her sleep hit a personal spot in Hershel. He was deathly reminded of his stepson and wife and their fate. That had been long before Rick had come running through his farm covered in blood with Carl unconscious in his arms.

Annette and Shawn were also bitten and soon after turned. Hershel was too stubborn to believe they were dead, too blind to accept the truth. They weren't dead, they were merely under a disease. They would find a cure for it and soon Hershel would have Shawn and his darling wife back. He had so much faith in this that even seeing them as they were, with their grey skin, blackened teeth, pale eyes, was covered by the illusion of Hershel's diligence.

Rick had opened his eyes after the massacre in front of the barn when he ran off to drown himself in the bar he was well familiar with. He tried convincing Hershel that the hope he thought was no longer there can still be found. It took Rick pushing him so far that Hershel wondered how a religious man like himself had lost faith at all.

And now, seeing Don break in front of him as he stayed frozen at his daughter's side, stroking her hair constantly, Hershel saw the man he use to be. He wish he could give him some reassurance that his daughter was going to be all right, but Don deserved the absolute truth. She wasn't, and she never will be.

Feeling how hot her skin was and the beads of sweat on her forehead, Hershel was becoming concerned of how little time she had left. He didn't dare mention this though. Don had enough on his plate without him now counting down the minutes before his daughter passed.

Taking the extra water bottle that was in the medical bag, he poured it a little over a dry towel before dabbing it against Natasha's forehead, hoping that would ease the heat that was burning up her body, even just a little. The wrinkle of pain on her face faded a little and she looked peaceful for a moment.

Hershel sighed, leaning back and allowing Don to comfort his daughter as she slept. Hershel brought his eyes toward Rick. He was a few paces away, his back leaning against the generators. His eyes were pinched shot and his hand pinching the bridge of his nose.

Through the days, Rick was growing colder and Hershel knew he wasn't the only one noticing this. Lori had also and her concern for it had slipped out on occasion when Hershel did a check on her health and the baby. Rick only confided in him, only would listen to his words. He thought finding shelter in this factory would be a great idea for the group to grab their bearings but what they had found was just more anguish. There was no relief in this world. Hershel tried to hold onto that faith, preying to God He'd give them a chance of survival, the strength to live in this world not just physically but emotionally as well.

Hershel worried for Rick, with the weight he held on his shoulders as leader. He took the responsibility full force but Hershel could see it was weighing him down. All Hershel could be was his supportive conscience, his moral compass if it was needed.

Rick was reluctant having Don and his daughter join the group, but with how things were that was probably no longer a choice. Now, knowing that Don's daughter was infected and the possibility of her turning at any moment brought in the burdensome decision that would have to be made. They would have to put her at peace, but explaining that to Don was a burden all on its own.

Don was a broken shell of a man, barely even conscious to the world around him as he stared down at his daughter, stroking her hair.

It was almost a struggle for Hershel to stand back on his feet, reminding him he wasn't as young as he use to be. He ignored the kink in his joints, making his way slowly toward Rick who had finally opened his eyes. He pulled away from the generators, his eyes glazed over with distress.

"How long do you think she has?" Rick asked him quietly.

"The night, maybe the next if we're lucky." Hershel frowned. "Her body is too weak to handle a fever of this multitude."

"Should we bring her to the campfire? Where she'll be more comfortable?"

"I'm afraid she's in too much pain to be moved now. The cool temperature of this room will help with her handlin' of the fever."

Rick sighed roughly. "You know what we have to do..."

"We can't make that decision," Hershel replied. "That's up to Don. When she passes, he has to make the decision of what he wants to do afterwards."

He nodded his head slowly, running his hand through his hair. "I don't even know if I should tell the others."

"I understand, but they have a right to know. They'll ask questions, Rick."

Rick sighed again. "I know."

Hershel placed a supportive hand on his arm, knowing that was all he really could do.

* * *

The sun was rising when Rick walked back to the others, each step slower than the last, dragging behind him the grief of Don and his daughter. The group looked to be about woken up for the new day, having gotten use to wakening at first light before they would head back on the road. Carol and Lori were feeding back the dying fire, getting ready to assemble breakfast that Glenn and Maggie sorted out. Carl was still asleep in a bundle of blankets, including Beth and Elena. T-Dog was by the windows, his mouth gaped in a huge yawn. Daryl was at the other side, his crossbow nestled in his hands. When he caught sight of him, he straightened and Rick only shook his head at him as a small signal that nothing had changed. Rick saw something flash over his eyes before he nodded once.

"Where's Hershel?" Lori asked him when she turned her head at his footsteps.

"He's lookin' after the girl," Rick said softly.

Lori watched him for a moment and he saw the subtle shock in her eyes at the way he spoke to her. It had been a while since he spoke without the bitterness in his tone.

"How is she?" Carol questioned, the emotion held in her words.

Rick lowered his eyes, placing his hands on his hips. His head ached with the anxiety of having to tell the group of the problem they were dealing with while they slept unaware. This was going to remind them of the injustice they suffered through with Sophia even after they had finally coped.

"We found out somethin' last night," he began, trying to keep his voice as controlled as he possibly could. "She's not sufferin' from a cold."

Carol's brows furrowed and she looked back toward Lori who mimicked her look of confusion. Glenn and Maggie gazed toward him, both with looks of confusion also. T-Dog had stepped away from the windows at his announcement, watching him.

"She was bit."

Carol slapped a hand over her mouth. Lori's mouth gaped open. Glenn shot his eyes toward Maggie who was shaking her head. T-Dog closed his eyes and bowed his head.

"Are you sure?" Lori asked after an excruciating moment.

"We're sure," Elena answered before Rick could. It was only then he realized that she wasn't asleep as he previously observed but was merely lying down. And from the drowsiness in her eyes, Rick could see she hadn't slept at all.

"That's awful...," Lori choked out.

T-Dog stepped forward. "What about the guy?"

Rick shook his head. "He's...grievin'. Hershel is doin' what he can to make his daughter comfortable before..." He couldn't say it, even as he bit down on his tongue the emotion he thought he kept locked up inside was threatening to spill out. Rick couldn't help it, he looked down toward his son, who was still fast asleep. God, he couldn't imagine what he would do had it been Carl.

"Does Hershel know how long she has?" Elena asked, her voice so quiet it was barely a whisper.

"A day, at the most."

Everyone shifted uncomfortably at that. Their expressions were all grave and Rick could see the tears that were brimming Carol's eyes.

"We all understand what needs to be done afterwards," Rick said.

"Does Don?" Elena looked up at him.

He exhaled, the muscle in his jaw tightening. "I will have a talk with him, about his options."

She didn't say anything after that, bowing her head once again. Rick shifted his eyes toward Lori's who were wide and glazed over. No one said a word and Rick didn't think he needed to say anymore because everyone understood the circumstance of a situation like this.

When Carol sniffled, turning back with getting the fire ready, everyone took that as an initiative to get back to what they were doing. No one wanted to talk about it, letting the thought of it hover above their heads and making the tension in the factory thicker. Rick gave a final look toward his wife who looked to him sadly.

A need hit him so swiftly in that moment, it almost shocked him. A need for support, for the person you love to tell you everything was going to be alright. Lori had done this for him once before, but Rick had burned that bridge.

Some decisions were easy to make, some were harder. _This_, however, was a difficult one to stomach. The little girl was younger than Carl and Rick just couldn't think about it without a looming cloud of despair to linger over him. Having Lori come up to him, place her her soft hands on his cheek, those cherry lips against his temple as she cradled him in her arms. Rick wanted that affection so badly, wanted that reinforcement. Maybe one day it will return back to him, maybe one day they could pick up the pieces, travel that long road to put together what they once had. Maybe...

But right now, Rick had to deal with the thought of this on his own.

* * *

"Don? Don, you need to eat something."

"I'm fine."

Elena sighed, finally leaning the plate of breakfast away from him. She had been trying to to offer him the food for the past few minutes and he hadn't been listening to a word she said. He had been sitting here all night, still by his daughter's side, still looking down at her. He almost looked like a stone statue as still as he was.

Elena looked over to Hershel, the same expression of sadness on his face.

Don's still posture suddenly changed then just as Elena heard coughing. Growing alert, she looked down at Natasha who flinched at each cough, her face contorted in pain. When she stopped, her eyes slowly fluttered open and from the corner of Elena's eye, she could see the darkness in Don's face finally begin to light up.

"Hi, baby girl."

"It...it hurts Daddy."

Elena saw Don's eyes flicker with heavy emotion, but the smile on his face didn't leave. "What hurts, baby?"

"Everything..."

Don's bottom lip trembled. "I know, baby, I know."

Natasha closed her eyes again and Don leaned in further, the smile faded and severe concern on his face.

"It's okay, she just fell unconscious again," Hershel whispered.

Don began shaking his head, rubbing his eyes roughly as he inhaled a shaky breath.

Elena had to swallow hard. Seeing all of this was clenching her heart so tightly it was suffocating. She wanted to be there for Don, but she didn't think she had enough control in her own emotions to keep herself together for him. Her face felt frozen in sorrow that Elena wondered if she'd ever remember what it was like to smile again. She wondered the same thing for Don.

He was trying to stay strong for his daughter. He was the only strength she had right now but he was crumbling slowly in front of her, slowly collapsing like the deterioration of a burning building. The burn could be seen in his eyes, the life fading away, the exact mirrored reflection of his daughter underneath him.

Elena placed the plate of food by him and stood up, knowing that she needed to get out of that room. Maybe it was selfish, but it would have been more selfish had she stayed in there where she knew her self-control was going to snap and the grief was going to pour out. That was the last thing that Don needed, _more_ sympathy.

Daryl leaned his shoulder away from the generators, where he had been standing quietly. He watched her and all Elena could do was shake his head at him. He didn't make a move to stop her as she walked passed him and out toward the door. He didn't even make a move to follow and Elena was glad he understood her signal.

She needed time to herself right now, to get a grip. To think positively about this somehow. But God, how could anything good come out of this? She was just a _kid_.

But at least she wouldn't have to suffer anymore, at least she didn't have to grow up in a world like this, right?

Even that sounded unsatisfying in her own ears.

Elena made her way toward the narrow staircase, but she didn't head back to the camp. Instead, she went by the windows in the far end of the factory and peered out. It was dark out there for the morning, the grey clouds scourging overhead like an infection, like the same infection that stumbled lazily out there in the shape of disembodied and dismantled grey corpses.

An urge rushed through her then, a dark urge that even surprised her. There were only a few walkers out there but she wanted to kill each and every one of them.

It was amazing what this world could do to people, the ways it had to change you. Elena had never been such a violent person, and look at her now, driven with rage for this stupid virus that claimed the lives of so many innocent people.

She missed how things use to be, how their biggest problem was getting up in the morning for work on time, earning enough money to make a living and keeping themselves healthy just from a simple cold. Any problem she use to have, whether it be arguments with her sister and the issue of her father disliking the fact that she didn't even finish college, would have been so much more welcoming than this.

Elena closed her eyes tightly. She was due for a good nights rest, it was unfortunate that she might never have one. And when she averted her eyes from the window, a few paces away from her, she knew she wasn't the only one.

Rick stood alone, his head bowed, one hand on his hip, the other pinching the bridge of his nose. He always seemed to do that when he was strained with either indecision or exertion. He always seemed to pull away from the others, seclude himself like he was the only one that needed to deal with such hard times. But everyone needed support, even a man as strong as Rick.

Elena made the decision to walk toward him, see if she can lend an ear and to find out what exactly they were going to do with Don and his daughter.

Rick went stiff when she approached and he looked up quickly, his eyes settling on her steadily. He sighed, his still posture relaxing ever so slightly.

"How's he doin'?"

The question he asked was a quick aversion away from himself, Elena could only assume. Rick barely ever talked about himself. He couldn't even confide to his wife, how could Elena expect him to even confide in her?

"He won't eat," she answered him. "Can't really blame him either."

"Is his daughter still out?"

"She woke up for just a bit. She's in a lot of pain, it's hell for him to see her that way. It's hell for all of us."

Rick watched her, his brows furrowed with worry. "That's why you're out here."

"I couldn't be in there knowing what's bound to happen." Elena inhaled sharply, blinking away the tears that were making their way up. "I can't imagine what he's going through."

Rick nodded his head in agreement.

Elena began rubbing her eyes again, the only thing she could do when they stung.

She really couldn't imagine what Don was going through. It wasn't that she hadn't lost people, but she didn't lose them like this. Her sister, Amelia, had suffered in the most grotesque way imaginable and according to Toni, her misery was ended with a quick bullet to the head. Elena hadn't seen this, and at times she was glad. She knew, had she seen the things Toni had witnessed, she might have become as broken as he was. Her brother-in-law on the other hand—a man she saw as an older brother—was shot point blank in the chest. Death by trauma to the heart before reanimating and Rick having ended it as quick as he possibly could. Both deaths weren't any easier to cope with, but both deaths were not something she saw coming. Maybe it was weird in a sense, but the waiting for death was the worst out of them all.

Don knew his daughter was going to die, he knew it could happen any minute and there was nothing he could do to stop it from happening. And the eerie knowledge of what was going to come next was terrible all on its own. Natasha was going to become one of them, she was going to become a walker, unless Don did what was needed to be done first. Question was whether he had the strength to do it. Elena thought about her dreams, and the meaning behind them. She still didn't know if she could do it herself.

"C'mon," Rick said after a moment, jerking his head back from where she came. "We'll go in, see if there's anythin' Hershel needs us to do."

"Are you gonna talk to Don?"

Something flashed over his eyes then, a frown set on his lips. He only gave a nod, placing a hand on her shoulder briefly to guide her back to the generator room.

* * *

The hours that passed were tormenting. Natasha was in and out, the pain on her face gradually getting worse. Don never left her side, trying to keep a strong front for his daughter every time she woke. It was the most he could do. Her fever hadn't let up, as to be expected. Hershel was replacing the cold towel on her head every so often, trying to cool down her temperature as much as he could. Elena and Daryl stood side by side, both out of the way but there if they were needed. Rick knelt crouched over beside Hershel. He hadn't spoke to Don yet. The timing just wasn't right. There was no talking to him, not with his mind so focused on Natasha. Any word Rick said to him would land on deaf ears.

These hours were crucial. Natasha was getting worse and everyone knew it was only time. Any minute now. And all it did was make the air murky and hard to breathe. Any small movement she made, the five of them would jump in that instant until Natasha went quietly still again.

The anxiety was hitting Elena in waves and she felt herself leaning hard against the generators, unable to keep herself steady. The others were fortunate to not have to witness such a sight. Maybe she didn't need to be there considering Hershel had things covered and Rick and Daryl were there for any added help, but Elena couldn't pull herself away. She knew the anxiety wasn't going to leave even if she was away from the event. At least here having Daryl near her was keeping her calm.

The same expression had been on his face since last night as he watched intently, the subtle hint of sadness in his eyes, the tightness in his jaw. He was standing close to her but neither of them were close enough to touch. Daryl wasn't affectionate but Elena wanted that hold from him, something to rid away the chill that was running through her body. It was hard watching this all unfold without having someone to lean on. But Elena didn't make a move, and she knew Daryl wouldn't.

Elena glanced at him momentarily and he met her eyes, his lips a tight line. She then saw the movement of his arm as he reached his hand toward her. But he stopped.

Together, they shot their eyes at the others when a sudden commotion erupted and Elena pulled away from the generators.

"Natasha? Natasha!" Don's voice was loud, filled with horror and ringing in Elena's ears. She felt a cold chill slither down her spine.

"Don, you need to get back."

"That's my daughter!"

Rick was behind Don, a firm hold on his arm. Elena gazed down at the little girl. She wasn't moving, not even the raise of her chest as she breathed. She was as still as stone. Hershel placed two fingers on her neck and she saw his shoulders go tense. He adjusted himself beside Don's daughter, placing both hands against her breastbone, interlacing his fingers. Then he pushed downward on her chest in an attempt to resuscitate her. Time slowed down as Hershel pumped against her chest before plugging her nose and breathing oxygen into her.

Elena couldn't blink, could barely breathe as she watched. Her hands felt clammy at her sides as she silently preyed for a miracle. It was taking too long for Natasha's pulse to return. Hershel, however, wouldn't give up.

Don's eyes were wide, his mouth gaped, Rick still holding his arm but his grip had loosened. Don looked shell shocked. Rick gazed straight, his eyes steady. Elena could see the small movement of his lips, but he wasn't saying anything loud enough for her to hear. She had enough focus though to read them.

_C'mon, c'mon. Please._

Elena felt her throat tightening as Hershel breathed into Natasha after the fourth time. His movements less urgent. He brought his fingers back against her neck before he bowed his head.

Don pulled his eyes away from his daughter, lifting them to Hershel. He met his gaze and slowly shook his head.

Then he fell apart.

"No...no..." Don brought his eyes back to his daughter as Rick let him go and he grabbed her, pulling her limp body onto his lap, cradling her as he rocked. "Come back baby girl...come back...please come back..."

The room suddenly felt hazy as everyone lowered their eyes, giving a moment of silence while Don continued to whisper to his dead daughter.

"I'm so sorry...I tried baby...I tried...believe me I tried..."

* * *

For a long while no one wanted to say anything, letting the father grieve as much as he could. But the passing minutes were deadly and the small body that Don held was a ticking time bomb. Even so, no one made a move to separate the two.

Elena stood frozen in place, her hand over her mouth and a sheen over her wide eyes. Daryl stood behind her, letting out a breath of frustration, turning away. Hershel sat still, his face creased with deep sympathy.

Don had stopped muttered words to his daughter, now just staring down at her and the whole scene reminded Rick of Andrea and Amy, how she never left her side, waiting for her to turn before she shot a bullet in her head.

The pain that had been on Natasha's face was soothed away, and she actually looked at peace. Like she was in a deep sleep.

"Don," Rick whispered to him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"I know. I know."

"We need to—"

"I _know_."

Rick clenched his jaw but Don didn't even make a move. He wished he had all the time in the world for this, to hold his daughter until he was ready to let her go. But he didn't.

"I'll do it," he began saying, his voice hoarse and grief stricken. "Just...just give me time...alone with my daughter..."

Rick exhaled, squeezing his shoulder gently before he stood along with Hershel. He strode toward Elena who still hadn't moved where she was and Rick tried to ease her in stride with him out of the room. Daryl replaced his guidance, putting a hand against her back where she wrapped her arms around herself and allowed him to push her with him out the door.

Before Rick exited out with the others, he glanced back in time to see Don reach for his pistol he had laying by him, resting it atop the little girls legs. Pulling his eyes away, Rick couldn't watch anymore and he stepped out with the others.

He could feel the gnawing sting in his eyes, the tightening of his chest and he tried to take even breaths to control the tears he hadn't felt in a while. Seeing that, as a father himself was heart breaking.

Rick rubbed his eyes roughly with the back of his hand and looked back. Elena was sniffling, her eyes red and glossy. Daryl stood close beside her, his normally calm face darkened. Hershel had his eyes closed, wiping away the nervous sweat on his forehead. No one said a word and they waited for the godawful sound that was about to happen next.

It felt like an eternity before the gunshot exploded within the depths of the generator room, causing Elena to flinch violently. The bang echoed in Rick's head, adding to the dizziness that already clouded his vision.

But it was the weeping after that struck him hard. The weeping of a man shattered.

Rick had to exhale a shaky breath from his lungs, closing his eyes tightly. It was going to take a long time for Don to cope with this, to find the willpower to pick up the pieces. Rick knew this because he would have suffered the same, God forbid anything happened to Carl.

They'd make room for him, they had to. They couldn't leave him like this alone in the condition he was in. And maybe he'd have the ability to become a valued member of the group, much like Elena. It had taken time, but on her own, she found a reason to live. Don could too.

_Bang_.

The sound of the second gunshot had caused everyone to jump, no one prepared for it.

Something had gone wrong. Maybe Don couldn't do it. Maybe his daughter had reanimated. Something was _wrong_.

Rick made the quick decision to run back into the generator room but Elena was already a few paces ahead, Daryl calling and reaching after her. Rick ran, following them quick inside.

"Oh God."

Elena's mortified reaction had hit Rick's ears, taking him a split second to register exactly what she was seeing. But when the images in front of his eyes began formulating together as he took a step closer, he lost the breath from his lungs.

A sob suddenly escaped her.

"Don' look," Daryl then said, grabbing her and pulling her to him. "Don' look."

Elena turned away in that instant, burying herself into his arms. Daryl looked stiff for a moment, before wrapping his arms tight around her as she cried.

Her sobs were the only thing echoing in the generator room as Rick stood still, unable to take his eyes from the scene so horrible to see that he thought his heart had stopped beating.

In the enclosure of the generator room, in the space where he had left Don were the heap of two bodies, the splatter of blood on the old medal of the generators behind them. Don laid crumbled overtop the small body of his daughter beneath him, his eyes shut but his face smoothed away without expression. Blood trickled from his lips and from the hole in the back of his head, his pistol loose in his grip.

Rick heard something afterwards, added to Elena's crying and it took him a moment to realize what it was.

It was Hershel preying quietly behind him.

* * *

Hours later, after dark, the group sat huddled around the small campfire T-Dog managed to keep going. The air was silent. No one had said a word about the ordeal. Not before. Not after. Nothing.

Rick was the only one standing above, looking over his people, all with faraway expressions. His wife didn't even make a move to comfort his son, who strangely was calm about the event that had just unfolded. Carol was wiping her eyes, sniffing back the tears once in a while. Glenn and Maggie sat close beside one another, their hips touching and both somber. T-Dog had his head lowered as he rubbed at his scalp absently, while Hershel sat beside him, holding Beth at his side. Elena sat by them, her face voided of any expression with her legs propped up in front of her, her elbows rested over her knees. Daryl sat close beside her, closer than he usually did in the presence of the group.

Something needed to be said, but for once Rick didn't have a speech ready. The thought of the passing away of a daughter and father dragging him so deep that Rick felt he needed to mourn also. Hershel had suggested they bury them but there were no shovels handy and it was too dark to go out there this time of night. Instead, Hershel and him had laid blankets over top both Don and his daughter's body, while Daryl kept hold of a crying Elena, who had calmed down mildly. Even Rick had to wipe the tears from his own eyes when they moved the bodies side by side. They had closed the door to the generator room where it probably would never be opened again.

When they had returned to the camp, everyone alert with paranoia having heard the gunshots, it took Rick longer than he cared to admit to explain to them what had happened. And the silence had dragged on since now.

Rick tried to inhale to gather himself and hoped his voice was strong enough to reassure everyone, even in an event like this. As leader, it was his responsibility to console his survivors in such a tragedy.

"We'll leave tomorrow mornin' if everyone is uncomfortable with stayin' here any longer. There will be other places for us before the snowfall," he said slowly, his voice loud enough. "Other places we can take shelter."

Only a few nodded their heads.

"We didn't know him, but Don would have wanted it this way. He had nothin' left to fight for. But _us_? We still got _each other_. We'll get through this together, no matter what. We'll watch out for each other, do what we have to do—through the winter, spring, fall. All of it."

Rick drifted his eyes toward each and every individual. He could see the interlacing of Glenn and Maggie's fingers, the tighter hold Hershel had on Beth, the embrace that Lori pulled Carl into, the hand that T-Dog placed on Carol's shoulder and the exchanging of glances between Elena and Daryl.

Rick took a step forward before he bent down, sitting on his heels as he gazed at each survivor formally. "I say we make a pact. Right here, right now. We don't let each other turn. God forbid, if anythin' were to happen to any one of us, we do what needs to be done before the change happens. We don't let each other become those _things_ out there." Rick said it with so much distaste in his mouth he wanted to spit.

One by one everyone began to nod in agreement, only a few muttering their answers. Rick looked down toward Carl beside him before placing an affectionate hand on his shoulder. Carl then looked up toward his mother and Lori gave him a sad smile before stroking his hair with the hands of a comforting mother.

"For now, we'll get some rest tonight. In the mornin', we'll head back on the road. We'll find a place for us, we will," Rick said with reassurance, his words holding so much faith that he barely recognized his own voice.

It took a moment for the others to actually make a move and shift out of their positions to lie comfortably down to catch some shuteye. Rick stood, allowing them to settle around the small fire while he made the decision to keep watch that night over the group so they all could ease their minds and gain those hours of sleep they all needed.

But Elena couldn't do it. She knew it would only be another night of tossing and turning and it didn't even matter how exhausted her body was. With the silence and staring deep in the fire her mind kept returning back to the images of what she saw in the generator room. The tears were making their way back up, choking her. She couldn't do this, she couldn't break in front of everyone.

Elena stood abruptly, resting her hand over her mouth in an attempt to suppress the sob that was ready to spill out once again. Her legs moved on their own accord, ignoring the stares that were probably following after her and went as far from the others as she could.

Daryl pulled himself on his feet as he watched Elena go, only momentarily glancing at Rick who's eyes followed her retreating figure. Daryl briskly began following after her as she made her way far toward the other end of the factory. He could hear her as she inhaled trembling breaths, sniffing every so often. He took longer strides just to catch up before he shot his hand to her arm, griping it tight and holding her in place. She turned to him, her cheeks wet with tears and her hazel eyes so glossy that Daryl thought he could see himself in them. Elena began rubbing away at her tears quickly as if embarrassed. She lowered her eyes, turning her face away from him.

Daryl frowned, knowing these tears were for Don and his little girl and from what she had seen. He kept his hold on her arm, his grasp gentle now as he gazed at her.

"There ain't nothin' we could've done for 'em," he told her.

She shook her head. "It's not just that, it's everything. It's what this world is now." She looked up at him then, the expression on her face causing the tightening in his own chest. "She was just a _kid_. No parent should have to do that to their own child." She sniffled again. "I don't even blame him for taking his own life. Having to deal with that...having to put a bullet in their head...I don't think I could do it."

"Hey—"

"You don't get it Daryl." The tears on her face stopped flowing as she gazed at him seriously. "Do you remember that night I woke up from a nightmare beside you? Why I pulled away?"

Daryl watched her, his brows furrowed as she paused waiting for an answer. But he didn't have one. He remembered, but he still didn't know why she pulled away.

"It was about _you_."

Daryl's grip on her dropped and she began shaking her head again before she took a deep breath.

"You're one of them. I have the gun in my hand but I can't...I couldn't do it...I couldn't pull the trigger...I couldn't..." She met his eyes. "...I don't think I ever could."

The look she was giving him, looking so defeated, it made Daryl ball his hands into fists. He understood now why she had pulled away, why she had looked so fearful when he had tried to comfort her.

Daryl look a step closer to her before he curled his fingers around her shoulders, facing her toward him. He leaned down, catching her gaze as he looked at her hard and steadily.

"That ain't gonna happen," he said. "I won't let it."

Elena stared at him for a long time before she finally closed her eyes and nodded her head. Daryl sighed lightly as he leaned away, and somehow she looked smaller. She rubbed at her eyes again, appearing to have calmed down as she blinked away the remainder of tears that hung from the rims of her eyes. She looked up at him again.

There's was something there, something different. And Daryl tensed, recognizing that look.

"Daryl, about the scars..."

He exhaled roughly, letting her go in that instant. The withdrawal was from instinct rather than a conscious act. He wanted to put everything that had happened between them away, bury it. He didn't want to face the problems again, didn't want to think of his father. He didn't want her to treat him like he was fragile again.

But Elena suddenly shot her hand at his arm, holding him in place.

"No, let me finish. You owe me that much."

At the tone of her voice, he decided not to pull away. It was true, through all these days she had been so patient for him, the least he could was show the same consideration. It was the least she deserved. And she deserved so much. If she was so determine to be with him, Daryl could at least make the journey less difficult than he had made it.

"Whatever you think this is, it's not pity. I will never know what you had gone through, and I could never begin to understand. But what I was trying to do was apologize for pushing you the way I did," she said, her gaze never yielding. "I don't care about the scars, Daryl. I want the man _underneath_ them."

Daryl furrowed his brow, her words burying deep within his mind that he couldn't think of anything to say. He never really knew what to ever say to her.

She stared at him for a long time, expecting him to respond, to say something. But when he didn't she lowered her eyes away from him, looking suddenly tense.

Even at this point, Daryl still didn't get it, still didn't understand why she was trying as hard as she was to make things work between them. He was just beginning to know what it's like to fully trust someone, to know what it's like to actually _have_ someone. She was willing to be there for him, in return she wanted someone to lean on too. He knew this because of the way she grabbed onto him when they entered that generator room seeing what they saw. The way she held onto him so tightly, showing how much she needed him.

And in the end, in a world like this, all they really had was each other.

Daryl took a step forward and Elena lifted her eyes to him. They were still glazed over with the anguish of Don and his daughter, still pained with the life the group had to struggle through. And for some reason, Daryl wanted to take all that pain away.

He lifted his hand, hesitant for a moment before he brought his fingers toward her face, brushing away a strand of hair that had fallen over her eyes, tucking it behind her ear. He then slid his hand behind her neck before easing her toward him. When his lips finally connected to hers, somehow it felt different, confined with a strong emotion that Daryl didn't even know he had in him. He didn't know what it was, what was the word for it. Whatever it was, all that didn't matter to him. What mattered to Daryl was the woman that stood in front of him, holding on to him with so much reliance, so much trust.

This whole feeling of being needed by someone else was still new to him, but Daryl was beginning to absorb it as if it was something he was always missing and only ever wanted.


	25. Chapter 25

**I'm going to start by saying how glad I am you guys liked the last chapter. :) So many kind reviews and it was a hell of a one to write. Secondly, I'm going to apologize for my delay with this update. I finally started my internship for the summer so along with that and working my part time job my updates are going to be a little slow. I'm trying to get them done as fast as possible but temporarily I'm staying with my sister and having a nephew cry for attention almost every hour keeps forcing me to step away from my laptop. Anyway, um this chapter turned out to be super long (which I noticed I've been getting really carried away with length lately) so I decided to break it into two pieces. The other part is finished I just got to edit it. I hope this chapter addresses some concerns you readers may have had. ;)**

**Reviews are welcomed and thank you new followers!**

**I take no credit for characters with an exception to my OCs.**

* * *

It had been a couple of weeks since the group left the factory, leaving behind the tragic end of a father and daughter who were now resting in peace from a world without mercy. It had been a couple of weeks and no one had spoken one word about it, as if it was easier to bury it in silence rather than drowning in the grief of what had happened. The group didn't know the two of them personal but it was still a strong hit toward their sympathetic thoughts. A reality to what kind of world they lived in now.

It took a while for the group to enter back into the same routine without remorse deepening in everyone's face. But all they had now was the ability to move forward, to find that safe haven Rick had promised they would find. It was days after did they finally talk again in casual conversation, days after that they could smile; even in the struggles they were faced.

Walkers were no longer the threat they once were. The cold temperature that was Georgia's winter could be seen wearing them down, slowing down the active hunger that once drove them. They were withering out there like flowers in the dead of winter and the group found themselves able to avoid them more rather than creating the risk of exterminating them.

The snow had also finally begun to fall, the grey clouds overhead finally acting out on the taunting it had done in the past days. The snow however was little, barely creating a sheet over the wet roads they drove through. It was apparent now that their main focus in survival was the danger of starvation and shielding themselves from the cold. Clothes had been listed as a main priority besides food, everyone now bundling themselves in layers. The sheltering in their vehicles had also been limited as much as possible. No one wanted to run the risk of getting sick, not with the little medication they had. However, some nights they couldn't avoid it and sometimes the vehicles were a last resort.

A long lasting shelter was a need now, especially with the snow falling above their heads. A shelter where they could sleep comfortably without having to curl up in bundles of blankets just to keep warm. Somewhere where they could stay before the snowfall got really bad. Somewhere that maybe they could actually call home.

There was little food to be found in the abandoned houses they scavenged, little supplies, that it was fortunate that the amount they had now was plentiful for a good while. Even so, they grabbed as much as they could for the coming months now that winter was beating down on them.

Currently, the group were at a stop while the men tried to figure out a route that may have abandoned cars to siphon gas that they were unfortunately low on. Gas stations they had passed were all empty, the cars around barely even filling a canister let alone one of the trucks. They were looking for a neighbourhood, maybe a store where a parking lot might have been home to a few cars. Anything.

The intermission was also a chance for Elena to grab her bearings considering she hadn't been feeling well all morning. The ride since they left their last shelter had made her car sick, forcing T-Dog to signal to the others to stop to give her a break and to figure out exactly where they were headed.

Elena stood at the side of the road, resting her hand against a tree trunk and leaning against it. She felt the familiar pain cringe her stomach once again, a lot more tightly than it had when she was in the Dodge and she knew she was ready to throw up. The vile taste of it coming up her throat made her gag and Elena spat, closing her eyes as she leaned her forehead against her arm. She felt like shit.

Someone winced behind her then and Elena turned.

"Still feeling like crap, huh?" Glenn asked her.

Elena only hummed her response and he offered something to her.

"Brought you some water."

"Thanks." Elena took it, gargling the water in her mouth before spitting it out.

"What do you think it is? Not another hangover, is it?"

"No, and I don't know. All I know is that what I ate this morning isn't staying down." Elena tried to swallow again until she felt that tickle in her throat, and that strange bubbling feeling in the pit of her stomach. The nausea hit her swiftly, almost causing her to choke on her own bile. This time barely anything came up and she coughed a couple of times, gathering the saliva in her mouth and spitting again to rid the taste. She closed her eyes.

"Geez, first it's Lori with the morning sickness, now we got to worry about you."

Elena shot her eyes open; his words striking her so hard she almost lost her balance. She looked at Glenn and the smile on his face slowly began to fade at the horror on her face.

"What?" he asked, his brow cocked. And just like that, as soon as he asked the question, Glenn's face went pale. Realization flashed over her eyes, widening them. "Oh my God...are you...? You and Daryl didn't...? _Holy shit_."

Elena opened her mouth but she couldn't reply, the shock denying any words to escape her. Her mind was rushing so fast she couldn't even focus on a single thought, the bile returning back in her throat.

Glenn stared at her, his brows furrowing. "You two didn't use _protection_?"

"Do you and Maggie?" The remark was automatic, passing her lips rhetorically for lack of a better thing to say. She couldn't think.

Glenn didn't appear to be listening to her. "This is bad. This is _real_ bad." He began to pace, making Elena suddenly dizzy.

"Would you stop panicking?"

"Someone has to!"

"Keep your voice down," Elena said sternly as she was finally able to focus.

Glenn took a step closer to her, his voice hushed but still filled with nervous anxiety. "You're _pregnant_."

"We don't know that yet."

"Well then we gotta get you a test or _something_."

Elena tried to inhale, tried not to absorb the panic Glenn was in. She tried to stay calm but she could feel the nervous sweat that was beginning to perspire at the back of her neck and the tremble that shook her hands. Glenn's accusation burrowed deep within her even though she brushed it away with quick denial.

She grabbed Glenn then, her eyes firm on his and he stopped pacing.

"You can't tell anyone one about this. Not Maggie and _definitely_ not Daryl," she told him.

"Are you kidding me? If anyone is telling Daryl, it's you. I'd rather take my chances in a herd of walkers than deal with Daryl knowing he could be a father."

"_Glenn_. Promise me you won't say a word about this." She stared at him with pleading eyes. "Please."

Glenn sighed, taking off his cap to run his hand through his hair. "Not this again."

Elena finally let go of him, staring at him oddly. "What are you talking about?"

"I went through this with Lori," he answered. "I _can't_ lie."

She frowned but stood straight and her eyes hardened on him. "You're gonna have to learn how. Not one word, Glenn."

He looked away from her, exhaling with exasperation. "How the hell do I get myself into these situations?"

"Your fault for guessing," she replied quietly even though his question was rhetorical. "Please, Glenn, I'm begging you."

He stared at her for a long while before his eyes soften. "Okay, okay. But only if we find you a pregnancy test and you take it. Okay?"

She nodded her head in agreement.

They were both silent for a moment, awkwardly so and Elena shifted on her feet. She looked back at Glenn when she noticed the slightest twitch at the corner of his lips.

"What now?"

Glenn shook his head, looking like he was trying to suppress a smile and Elena couldn't imagine what he thought was so funny about this situation. When she cocked her brow at him, he shrugged.

"I just can't believe you and Daryl...I mean...," he tried to say. "Didn't know he had it in him."

Elena rolled her eyes in that instant before brushing passed him incredulously.

"I was kidding!"

In any other circumstance, Elena would have laughed but this new knowledge of what could have cause her upset stomach was beginning to eat at her. It was driven so far in her mind now, planting itself there and growing roots of thoughts like an infestation.

What the hell was she going to do?

Daryl and her hadn't used protection, didn't even think of using any precaution, too focused in their moments together that the need of sexual satisfaction drowned out any nagging thoughts that were probably there in the back of her mind. Why the hell hadn't she thought of this? How could she be so stupid?

No, she had to be calm. There was a good possibility that she wasn't even pregnant. When did symptoms start? How long ago did they even sleep together? Elena couldn't even think of an answer, her brain so chaotic with the panic Glenn caused that she couldn't think straight. Glenn was right; she needed to get herself tested as quickly as possible. This could all be a false alarm, but she wasn't sure. Elena never dealt with this; she was always responsible before—even took birth control pills as insurance.

It was bad enough Lori was pregnant. One baby may be a problem, but one baby they could handle. But two?

Dear God, she needed to get tested ASAP.

And what if it came out positive? What would she do? What would she even tell Daryl? They were just finally settling into a relationship—and yes she could finally call it that without an ounce of doubt—but they weren't ready for something like this. The last thing they were ready for was being a mother and father.

Elena felt her stomach churn again, this time from anxiety rather than nausea. When she finally reached the Dodge Ram, she leaned against it, not trusting herself to stay steady on her feet. But when she heard footsteps slowly approaching, she went completely still.

"Hey."

The call came at her side and Elena swallowed hard at that familiar southern drawl that said it. Slowly, she drifted her eyes to her left as Daryl sauntered slowly toward her, rolling his shoulder to adjust the crossbow he held at his back. Elena forced a smile, hoping it would mask the shock that still probably lingered on her face.

"Feelin' better?" he asked her.

Elena decided not to lie about the nausea that was still twisting her stomach. If she could limit the lies, maybe it would make keeping the assumptions a secret a lot easier. And this secret she needed to keep from Daryl, at least until she got her results.

"If you count throwing up a minute ago feeling better," she said.

"Did ya talk to Hershel?"

She shook her head. "It's nothing, probably a stomach flu."

Daryl took a step toward her, before bringing his hand toward her face, resting the back of it against her forehead. He furrowed his brow and met her eyes. "Don' feel warm."

"Or," she added, "it could be food poisoning. We haven't been exactly eating gourmet meals."

Daryl exhaled through his nose, pulling his hand away and looking at her unconvincingly.

Elena gave him another warm smile, this time genuine at the concern he was giving her. "I've had it before, nothing to worry about. It usually lasts for just a day."

He nodded his head at that, chewing at the side of his cheek. But when he looked back at her, the concern in his eyes still there, it brought a painful ache in Elena's stomach. She hated having to lie to him, but telling him something as big as this especially when there was no concrete evidence if it was true or not, was not the wisest choice. Elena didn't want to worry him, she rather handle the stress for the both of them.

"Yo, Daryl! We're headin' out."

Daryl took his eyes away from her just as Elena looked to her left to see T-Dog gesturing back to the road with his thumb. Daryl didn't move, waiting for T-Dog to jump into the driver seat of the Dodge Ram before he looked back down at Elena.

He lifted his hand toward her, brushing his fingers against her arm in an uncharacteristic tender act. "Take it easy. Got a couple of hours on the road."

"Sure," she replied to reassure him.

Daryl then took a step back before turning, returning to the lead of vehicles where his brother's motorcycle sat. Elena worried about him driving it now, with the snow now leaving sleet on the roads. She knew eventually it would be too cold for him to drive it and maybe he'd join her and T-Dog in the pickup truck.

Elena turned toward the Dodge to enter inside when at the corner of her eye she caught the sight of a figure. It was Glenn gazing back at her from the side of the Hyundai.

The secret was between them, held down with only allegations. Elena didn't know how they were even going to find a pregnancy test in the day. But she wanted take the test as soon as possible to hopefully trump the possibility that she was even pregnant. And if it did, it would save her the trouble of telling Daryl anything at all.

* * *

Glenn hated having the responsibility of keeping a secret, not just because he was a terrible liar but because secrets like these were going to need future attention. Prenatal vitamins, nutrition…a lot of things. If Elena was pregnant, the group needed to know so they could take extra care and figure out what they were going to do. One baby was a worry, especially in the future with it crying and possibly alarming walkers nearby. Two babies might as well be a food bell for an all you can eat buffet.

He still couldn't believe that Elena and Daryl had even physically gotten that far in their relationship. If it really could be called that. It wasn't that Glenn doubted they had anything between them, but seeing them together you'd only assume they were just good friends. He didn't see much affection between them, only the subtle looks they gave one another. Daryl was awkward at times that Glenn couldn't imagine him being at all romantic. He did have his strange way of showing he cared for Elena, although it was usually through anger. Maybe he was affectionate when they were alone, who knew?

Maggie had expressed to him her opinion on them being together. 'Cute' was how she described it. Glenn didn't get it, but then again girls thought any relationship was cute. Maggie thought that there was always something between them, saying how the way they interacted with one another was different than how they coincided with the rest of the group. Like they meant more for each other. Hearing this, Glenn could understand, after all that's exactly how he felt about Maggie. He loved her and she meant the world to him. Glenn wanted to spend every waking hour with her, wanted to show her how much he thought she was special but they rarely had privacy and sometimes intimacy was a difficult thing to have. Maybe that's exactly how Elena and Daryl had felt, that even the thought of not having protection handy was the last thought on their mind. Glenn couldn't blame them either, even though he had exclaimed over the fact Elena and Daryl hadn't used any sort of protection, Elena was right. Maggie and him hadn't either. They were careful of course, but there could still be a slip up no matter how careful they were.

Glenn told Maggie everything, but seeing the horror on Elena's face and the desperation that she tried so hard to hide, he knew he had to keep his mouth shut. She was trying to be calm but Glenn could see right through her. She was as freaked out as he was. It was like déjà vu.

He still remembered the cold sweats he'd have just being near Rick with the secret of Lori's pregnancy breathing down his neck. Having to do it all over again was a memory Glenn didn't want to relive. One time was bad enough. He knew this time it would be worse, especially with knowing the fact that Daryl could be a father. Rick at least was rational, or at least once was, but Daryl? He was never the kind of guy that could put you at ease. And seeing him angry put Glenn on edge too. Maybe Elena could handle it, but Glenn couldn't. Daryl would probably kill him if he let it slip that Elena could be pregnant. If he didn't, Elena definitely would.

She didn't want a baby. Not now anyway. This was something Glenn was sure about because at no point did he see any positivity in her eyes or posture. She had the right set of mind, having a baby now definitely wasn't ideal with their hectic travelling each day, that Glenn sometimes wondered how Lori and Rick were going to handle their little one. However, if they did end up finding a pregnancy test and it came out positive, Glenn really hoped Elena wouldn't go down the same road Lori had took. He was never biased about abortion, but if it was an option it shouldn't be a choice made by one person. One person shouldn't have to go through that on their own. If Elena didn't think having this baby was a good idea, then she needed to talk to Daryl about it. Glenn had no idea how Daryl would react to the news and he almost worried for her.

This was huge and he still had no idea how they were going to find a pregnancy test for her, let alone keep it away from the others.

"Glenn, are you okay?"

Glenn jumped at the soft voice that asked the questioned, looking back at Maggie's sister, Beth. She looked at him with her big eyes as she searched his face.

"Uh, what?" he asked quickly, his hands shaking on the gas canister that miraculously appeared in his hands. He had to think for a lot longer than was necessary on where he was and what he was doing before the thoughts of Elena's secret completely fogged up his vitals and mobility.

It had been a couple of hours since Glenn unintentionally discovered Elena's secret and Rick had issued the stop when they found a few cars left at the side of the road, one of them being a pickup truck turned over on its back deep within a ditch. Maggie had asked Glenn to get a gas canister from the Hyundai to fill up what little gasoline might be still in the cars, which they would transfer in the vehicles when they found shelter for the night. However, always at times like these, did his mind wander.

"I asked if yer okay," Beth said again.

Glenn scoffed with the best fake light hearted smile he could muster. It felt so stiff on his face, he hoped Beth wouldn't notice. "Of course I am, why are you asking?" he replied as he finally pulled the empty canister from the trunk of the Hyundai.

"'Cause yer face looks identical to Elena's."

Glenn froze, swallowing hard. "What do you...uh mean?"

Beth smiled at him slightly. "Like yer going to be sick. Yer not sick too are you?"

"Nope. Nope, I'm okay. C'mon lets siphon the gas quick so we can eat lunch before we leave," Glenn said quickly, trying to relax his shoulders before turning away. He stopped mid-step, almost cursing himself for forgetting to close the trunk. He turned back, doing so before walking fast away from Beth.

Elena owed him big time for keeping this secret, because he was sure it was going to be the death of him.

* * *

All Elena could do was pace. The others were occupied, getting what they can that was valuable in the vehicles. Rick decided that it would be better if she stayed by with Lori, Carol and Carl, to give her some time to recover from the morning. But all it did was leave her mind stranded, drowning in the tidal wave of thoughts.

Elena had tried to get rest in the Dodge through the hours T-Dog was driving but Glenn's panic and the image of the look on his face kept playing over her mind, making the worry now suffocating. She knew she was over thinking it now, but there was nothing she could do to stop it.

She twisted the dog tags around her neck with her finger, looking up when she heard a sudden commotion.

"_Carl_."

"I'm not a kid anymore. Just let me go help Dad."

Lori stared at him for a long while before she reluctantly nodded her head. Carl turned away then and continued on to where Rick sat on his heels, helping T-Dog and Hershel fill up a canister from one of the abandoned SUV's.

Elena watched him go when she heard Lori lightly sigh before leaning against the Chevy Suburban. Lori worried about him every day of every hour and Elena wondered if she stressed herself out too much. She noticed lately the strain in their relationship and the constant struggle that Lori faced with trying to keep control of her son who lately seemed adamant about spending more time with his father and taking in more responsibilities within the group.

"Hard to see him growing up so fast, huh?" Carol asked aloud as she rummaged through the boxes of food in the back of the Chevy. She was gathering what little the group could have for lunch.

Lori gave her a half hearted smile. "He acts like he doesn't need his mother telling him what to do anymore."

"That's not true. He's always going to need his mother."

"Thank you," Lori replied softly.

When Lori began subconsciously rubbing her abdomen, Elena's mind in that instant grew heavy from the sight. It was difficult to see, what with the layers of clothes everyone wore now, but Lori was beginning to show, the small life inside her growing even through the tough lifestyle they struggled through. It was really a small miracle and yet Elena still couldn't imagine it could be seen that way for her.

Although Rick was just looking out for her best interests to not over exert herself until her abdominal pains ceased, Elena just couldn't see that staying by the only woman in the group that was pregnant would do her any good for her conscious mind.

But curiosity suddenly prickled at her, curiosity that wondered how Lori was fairing with the pregnancy. And whether Elena could handle the same thing if she had to.

She made her way closer to her, crossing her arms and giving both Lori and Carol a kind smile. "How are you feeling?" Elena questioned quietly and gestured toward the small baby bump.

"Well, besides the fact that I'm tired enough to hibernate, I'm doing fine," she answered. "Hershel says the baby is healthy even with the lack of nutrition."

"Does he or she move yet?"

"Sometimes when I stay still for too long—oh." Lori stopped in that instant, holding her stomach. She lowered her eyes to it, a brief smile on her lips.

Elena knew that look. It was adoration, that instantaneous love to come to a mother. She remembered the same look on her cousin who had been pregnant with twins, and she remembered thinking how much she wanted that. To look as happy and excited to see her family grow.

"Did she kick?"

"She?" Lori questioned curiously.

Elena shrugged. "I have a feeling it's gonna be a girl."

"That would be nice. I always wanted a girl." Lori averted her eyes back to the direction that Carl had gone, where he stood beside his father. "Not that I didn't love having Carl. But boys are handfuls."

"I think any baby can be a handful." Both Elena and Lori turned at the statement as Carol approached them. She had her hands full with a quick lunch she had been preparing and Elena immediately stood away from the Chevy to give her a hand.

"I use to have a hard time putting Sophia to sleep," she said, smiling at Elena when she offered her share. "She use to wake the neighbours."

Lori frowned. "Let's hope in our case that doesn't happen, what with our neighbours being herds of walkers barely miles away."

"Don't think such things," Carol replied. "We'll be fine. Things will be fine."

Reluctantly, Lori nodded her head, the smile gone from her lips. Elena couldn't help have her sudden change of mood reflect on her also. Lori didn't ask for this pregnancy, and she felt like she had full responsibility of what would happen afterwards when the baby was born. Elena could see it in her eyes and she felt the worry return back tenfold. Babies were a wonderful thing, being a mother was a wonderful experience but the repercussions were a whole different story.

"Are you still not feeling well Elena?" Carol suddenly asked her. "You're looking pale."

Elena shook her head automatically. "It's the smell from the food," she lied. "Don't have much of an appetite."

"At least eat a bit, can't go on with no food in your stomach," she scolded. "We'll be leaving soon, eat what you can."

Refusal was pointless and Elena decided to just nod her head and agree with her. She knew she wouldn't be able to completely eat everything that was given to her, even though it wasn't very much to begin with. Her stomach was still churning, added with the expansion of her anxiety over her predicament. She had the sudden urge to talk about it, to get that relieving advice from the two women who knew what it was like to be pregnant and the telltale signs.

She just wanted someone to talk to. Perhaps she could talk to Glenn about it, but he looked to be still anxious from earlier, his shoulders stiff as Beth and Hershel helped him with siphoning an old SUV. She hoped to God Glenn would be able to keep her secret, at least until she got the results of what could possibly be wrong with her.

"I'll try," she said finally, giving Carol a small smile.

She supposed that was good enough and Carol decided she didn't need to pester anymore.

There wasn't much Carol could do besides look after the health of the group and become caretaker. Maybe it was to fill the void of her loss of being a mother, or maybe it was because Carol genuinely cared for each and every person in their group.

Carol wasn't a leader and she definitely wasn't the strongest, but she was the most nurturing. She spent most of her time with Lori, to be there for her and her pregnancy now that Rick had too much responsibilities to do so himself. She had even asked Hershel to possibly teach her some education in his medical knowledge so she could do more than just prepare their course meals. Carol wanted to do more, wanted to be useful. She wanted to be strong. And she wanted to find herself in this new bleak world.

She was a late bloomer she realized, having hid away from her husband's shadow, too afraid to speak up, too afraid to make her own choices. Now she was just finding her way. Carol had spent too long feeling sorry for herself, too long thinking that she would never make it. Even a world so meek, there was still a new beginning for her. A chance to actually be happy. This had been a catharsis much needed and also given to her after watching the growing relationship between Elena and Daryl.

After what she had said to Daryl about confessing how he really felt about her and how she was good for him, Carol saw the change begin to unfold. It took time but Carol knew what ever happened between them had long past. They were much closer now. Elena smiled more and Daryl looked less tense near the group. Daryl appeared less confined than he use to be. He was finally able to find his place.

Leaving Lori and Elena to it, Carol made her way toward the others who were busying themselves with the needed tasks. Rick, Carl and Daryl were found by a dirt ridden Jeep Patriot. Rick sat on his heels, filling a canister with the gasoline that was found in the Patriot with Carl while Daryl rummaged through the inside of the vehicle for any necessities.

When Carol approached them, bearing their share of lunch, Daryl turned, slamming the passenger door behind him empty handed. The previous owners must have taken everything with them.

Carol offered him his meal, which he took before his eyes lifted, gazing intently passed her.

"Did she eat yet?"

Carol had to turn, even though she knew who he was referring to.

"She's still feeling unwell," she answered.

Daryl clenched his jaw before lowering his eyes and taking a bite. "She says it's food poisonin' or somethin'."

"Food poisonin'?" Rick chimed in curiously. "We've all been eatin' the samethin'. It's strange that only she got sick."

"Maybe she had a reaction to something," Carol replied.

"Did she take anythin'?"

"Naw," Daryl answered him.

Carol nodded. "We don't have anything for an upset stomach. We have antibiotics, a few bottles of codeine and antihistamines."

"We got a few more stops before nightfall," Rick said before wiping his hands on his pants creased with both dirt and dried blood. "We'll look for a drug store and find somethin' for her."

Carol nodded her head again, offering Rick his lunch before crossing her arms. Almost instantly, he passed on the bars of protein to his son, who took it without a word, already fingering the food and eating it.

* * *

Elena had to fight a sigh of relief when she spotted the giant 'K' that could only belong to the licensed cooperation known as Kmart. It had been the most attention she had since they went back on the road. Her mind had been completely muddled and chaotic through the hours. T-Dog tried to strike up a conversation, however, Elena knew that having to say 'what?' for the fourth time had gone beyond the point of polite and T-Dog had given up talking to her nearly an hour ago.

Their other stops had been limited to nothing more than more abandoned vehicles that had been left at the side of the road. Other than that there were no abandoned structures, just the never ended forests that followed them in each twist and turn on the road. Now that the group was limited to the short hours of light the sun provided before retiring for the course of the night, a lot of their time travelling and scavenging the day ended quickly and Elena feared that she would never get that chance of finding a pharmacy and sneaking in toward the baby section to find a First Response test before anyone even took notice. Even if the place was empty, she couldn't imagine pregnancy tests going out of stock from other scavengers. This Kmart had to have one.

Daryl pulled into the parking lot that was mostly deserted with an exception of some rusted old vehicles that looked to have been there a while. The others followed in, one by one braking nearby the entrance. The automatic doors were shattered into pieces, the glass scattered throughout the front end lot, seemingly disturbed before. The Kmart had been ransacked previously and all the group could do was pray that there was anything left. And there was no live thing, walker or human in the remnants of the building.

Elena jumped out of the Dodge, grabbing her crowbar and Glock 17. She may have still been nauseous but there was no chance she was going to miss this only opportunity she had today. She only hoped that Rick wouldn't want her siphoning the vehicles out in the parking lot. If it came to that, Elena knew she couldn't defy his orders. All it would do would bring questions on herself and bring attention to her behaviour and the group had been questioning her health enough. If worst came to worst, as a last resort, she'd send Glenn in to grab what she needed. And fortunately he would know which isle to look and what it would look like.

"The entrance is broken in which means we may have possible walkers inside," Rick said, preparing the order before he gave everyone the run through of their game plan. "Glenn, come with us to clear the inside. Maggie and T-Dog, I need you two to siphone what's left in those cars while we loot what's inside. We'll make this quick, we don't have a lot of time before nightfall."

Rick's eyes shifted then, seeing Elena standing armed and ready. He furrowed his brow. "Elena, if you're not feelin' well…"

"No, I'm okay," she said quickly. "Lemme help."

Rick sighed, gazing back at Daryl as if looking for confirmation. Slightly, he gave a nod and Rick looked back toward Elena. "Alright."

The group went to their respective positions and Elena immediately jogged after Rick and Daryl who were already leading the way toward the entrance.

"First chance we get, we have to head to the pharmacy," Elena whispered as soon as Glenn got to her side.

Glenn let out an exasperated sigh. "Let's just get this over with so I don't have to lie for you anymore."

Elena didn't say anything to that only looked over to her friend. She could see the labour her secret was putting him through. Guilt hit her then, even though it wasn't exactly her fault Glenn was involved in knowing. She knew Glenn had a hard time lying, she knew he was uncomfortable. And she knew she was asking a lot from him. Glenn was doing the best he could for her request in keeping this between them. She owed him an oath afterwards, she really did.

"Stay tight," Daryl said over his shoulder, mostly toward her and Glenn. He waved at them to follow behind while Rick went ahead.

The Kmart wasn't the biggest Elena had been in, but it definitely wasn't the smallest either. And it wasn't the most organized. The interior was dark, some shelves in the isles toppled over one another, objects spewed on the floor along with streaks of black and brown paint. Elena had to inhale knowing that it was old and dried blood. Walking further in, it was apparent that this place had been once looted. The shelves that were still standing barely stocked with any merchandise, shopping carts on their sides, neither of them having anything useful themselves. Even the racks of clothing were savaged through, leaving behind sizes that were too small or too large for any member of the group.

The enclosure of the store was merely quiet with an exception to the short squeaks Elena's heels made hitting against the tiled floor. She tried to pick up her feet more, but she knew inevitably she was going to need new boots eventually. The constant travels through pavement, dirt and gravel were wearing them out a lot faster.

"Glenn." Rick looked back toward him, gesturing his chin toward a turn down a couple of isles.

Reluctantly, Glenn followed behind him, giving Elena a seemingly apologetic look before they disappeared within the deeper part of the Kmart. Daryl went ahead, only looking over his shoulder once to make sure Elena was following him. She kept her crowbar close to her side, taking longer strides so she was closer at his side. She scouted over the isles they passed, over the racks for any movement or for any lurkers.

Lurkers was a new term used for the walkers that sat ideally around playing "dead" until someone crossed their path. In Elena's opinion, they were the worst and could be even considered the best of the predators. They sat still, quiet, completely immobile and brain dead until something perked up their attention and they went in for the kill. There was no such thing as being too careful if they crossed paths with a body and made absolute _sure_ it was dead. However, even as they walked briskly, entering an empty isle that by evidence was once the kitchen appliance section, there was not a body in sight.

Daryl walked in his tracking fashion, with his crossbow raised tight in his arms, one finger at the trigger, and one hand on the foregrip to keep his aim steady. He averted his eyes from left to right every time they reached an opening before entering another isle. Elena watched him closely and just like earlier, her mind wandered. She couldn't damn well focus no matter how important it was to clear this area of walkers before they decided to take anything. She should have been thinking of what was possibly left here, what they could use, what would benefit them for the future. She shouldn't be thinking of the possibility she could be bearing the child of the man that stood in front of her.

Elena ran a hand down her face, feeling the stress of it all begin to burn out a hole in her own brain. All this over thinking was going to drive her insane and make her feel even worse than she already did. The nausea she felt now was self-induced and fear was beginning to grow deep within her, a fear of what the result would be when she had the time and privacy to take the test. She tried to shake her head, to rid the thoughts when she suddenly collided against something.

Lifting her eyes, Elena's gaze met Daryl's when she realized he had stopped walking. He furrowed his brow at her for a moment before he exhaled, gesturing his hand ahead.

"That way," he told her.

Elena could only nod her head, feeling suddenly flustered at her lack of concentration before she went ahead in lead. Daryl followed close behind her and she made the decision to completely clear her mind. She couldn't afford any screw ups now; she couldn't afford missing even a dash of evidence that they were the only beings in here.

She kept her crowbar ready at her side, her Glock shoved in the waistband of her pants as her secondary weapon, her gutting switchblade peeking out of her front pocket as a last resort. She perked her ears open to hear beyond their footsteps for any ragged breathing, any staggering of feet, any low moans. She heard nothing and as much as that should have eased the stiffness in her shoulders, it didn't.

It had been a few days since she last killed a walker. With the cold air slowing them down and withering them away, they were able outrun them rather than risk their lives taking a few down to make a clean getaway. Maybe it was a nice break from the force of pushing themselves and the harsh pumping of adrenaline in their veins but it also rusted their joints from what they should also be quick and ready to do. Elena always made sure she was still as active as she could be just in case.

As far as she could tell, there was nothing in here besides products left that were about as useful as a flashlight with no batteries. Many of the objects were operated with electrical outlets, which with lack of a generator would do them no good. Hopefully the other shelves were a lot more stocked with things they needed, like food and water. And hopefully the pharmacy was a lot more stocked with more medication than the little they had left.

At the end of the isle, Elena stopped, realizing they had made it to the end of the store and there was no sign of anything in here. She supposed with the silence, Rick and Glenn hadn't found danger either.

Elena turned to Daryl, spreading her lips into a small smile. "Guess we might as well look for what's left for us in this shithole."

Daryl lowered his crossbow in front of him, nodding his head as he stepped passed her. He continued to scan his eyes around, not ready to rule this building out as safe. And he realized he was right for doing so.

The smell hit him first, attacking his nostrils with more force than he remembered. He thought he was used to the smell of decomposed human flesh, the smell of rotting skin and muscle tissue and old blood, but this smell was harshly gathered and reminding him how walkers smelled like when it had been a hell of a lot warmer outside.

Daryl turned and sniffed the air to determine where it was coming from. Then his heart skipped a beat.

Elena watched him curiously, absently tapping her crowbar against her thigh. But it was the shadow behind her and the cracking of a jaw opening along with the sight of blackened teeth behind her that made every muscle in Daryl's body constrict.

As soon as the walker behind her let out a harsh growl, Elena snapped her neck toward it. And she froze. Her habitual reflex wasn't there to act on survival instinct she seemed to always have.

Daryl lifted his crossbow, barely taking aim and pulled the trigger.

The arrow pierced through bone, blood gushing out and some hitting Elena in the face where she turned her head away before any got in her eyes. The walker crumbled to the floor with a thud.

Elena blinked a couple of times before wiping the blood from her face with the back of her sleeve. She looked back toward the walker, staring at it as if it would reanimate again even with a bolt shoved deep through the frontal lobe of its brain.

Daryl stepped forward to her side and bent to receive back his arrow. He gazed back at her with a cocked brow.

"The hell was that?"

She didn't answer right away and she only shook her head. Daryl thought maybe it was the worry of her being sick that was making up more concerns in his head, but he knew now he wasn't making this stuff up. She was acting weird. Since their first pit stop she'd been completely in her own world, staring off in the distance, stuck in that mind of hers. Maybe she felt a lot worse than she let on, which would have explained the lack of concentration and her flushed face.

Elena wiped at the remainder of blood from her face. "Sorry, I should be paying more attention."

Daryl exhaled before placing his hand on her arm and urging her forward. "C'mon."

* * *

The remainder of the Kmart was only littered with a couple more walkers before Rick gave the clear sign and they went on their separate ways to start packing up the essentials. Rick grabbed an abundant of plastic bags for them to throw things in, more than they really needed considering they'd have to scrap the bottom of the barrel for anything useful in this joint.

Elena decided to take the opportunity to head toward the pharmacy while the others were occupied for the time being to look for what she needed specifically before she went for any medication that was available, including gauze and bandages.

She looked for the signs above the isles, knowing the tests would be found beside the baby supplies. When she turned around the corner, she was surprised to see Glenn already there, looking down and above at the shelves in front of him, his teeth biting down on his tongue in severe concentration. Elena stepped toward him and he jumped in that instant, his eyes locking on hers before he blew out a relieved breath.

"There's a few here, but I don't know which one…," he trailed off and decided to just take a step back before nodded his head toward the shelves.

Elena came to his side. There were a few different brands, all colour coded but disorganized with an assortment of products that didn't even belong in the isle. Elena scanned them all before she found the familiar pink box. First Response was one she specifically looked for knowing it had been one her sister Amelia had used at times and it never had steered her wrong when it gave her a negative result. Maybe she'd get the same luck.

Elena took it from the shelf before looking up at Glenn. "This one."

"When are you gonna take it?" he asked, his voice nervous and hushed.

"Tonight. I'll sneak off during dinner or something," she answered. "I don't know. I'll figure it out."

"Okay." Glenn relaxed a little before he frowned at her. "Look I know I didn't want anything to do with this, but just let me know what the result is, okay? You don't have to stress about this alone."

She stared at him for a moment, feeling the tightening in her own throat. "Thanks Glenn, that means a lot."

Glenn gave her a brief smile then before his eyes shot passed her and he sucked in a breath. Elena went still and slowly turned her head.

Daryl walked into the isle, his brows furrowed as he shifted his gaze between her and Glenn. Elena pivoted her body, reaching the box in her hands behind her and out of view. She manoeuvred herself in front of Glenn, wagging the box at him, hoping he'd get the hint to take it. He did as soon as Daryl entered in closer.

"Was just uh…grabbing something for Maggie," Glenn lied, gesturing to the pink box in his hand quickly and pulled it back to him before Daryl got a better look.

Glenn looked at Elena momentarily before he walked off out of the isle in a hurry. Daryl watched him go, and then turned his head back to Elena. Involuntarily, she jumped at his piercing gaze and inwardly she cursed herself.

"The hell you so jumpy for?" he asked.

Elena stepped in his path, purposely blocking his view from the leftover pregnancy tests behind her on the shelves. "I'm just having an off day."

He scoffed in sarcastic agreement.

She frowned and bit at her bottom lip, needing something to steer the conversation away from her. Lying to Daryl was a lot more difficult than she could handle, not just because he was slowly starting to become suspicious but because she was uncomfortable lying to him at all. Her eyes drifted toward the movement of his left hand, where he rolled something in his palm.

"What's that?"

Daryl lowered his eyes before lifting his hand and offered it to her. "All I could find for ya."

Elena took the bottle, turning it over in her hands. It was a bottle of Tums, cherry flavoured tablets specifically made for children ages two to eleven to cure an upset stomach. A smile slithered against her lips, foreshadowed by an omen. It was a kind sentiment for Daryl to find something to make her feel better and yet the cartoon illustration of the child on the label taunted her.

"Might help a lil'," he continued.

Elena had the sudden urge to tell him everything. She didn't want to sneak around anymore and he had a right to know, but at the same time something inside her was still pushing her back from telling him the truth.

"Don' look so good. Ya alright?"

"Daryl, I—" Elena stopped herself as soon as she met his gaze. He was watching her carefully with a narrowed calculation. She shook her head then. "Nevermind. Thank you for this."

Daryl almost expected her to lean forward on her toes and kiss him on the corner of his lips, like she normally did when they were alone to show a sign of gratitude. But she didn't. All she did was give him a tight smile, lingering on her step before she walked passed him out of the isle. Daryl didn't even follow his eyes after her, completely bemused by her sudden behaviour and maybe a little disappointed. Maybe she was still sick, but something was completely off.

He made a moved to turn, his eyes momentarily moving toward the shelves Elena had stood in front of. He only caught a glimpse of the few boxes before he exited the isle.


	26. Chapter 26

**Holy crap, you guys are A-MAZ-ING. I was blown away with the amount of reviews I got from the last chapter, all thoughtfully written, and it put the biggest smile on my face. Thank you so much everyone! From what I see some of you have mixed feelings of where things will go from here. Majority of the reason I write this is for you guys, believe it or not, and yes I want to make each reader happy, but if I think my story should go a certain way, I'm gonna trust my gut instinct. I won't tell you what happens, you're just gonna have to read and find out. ;)**

**Also, now that the story has finally progressed to winter, I changed the graphics of the cover. I will do the same when the prison plotline will mold into the story. Anyway, without further ado, hope you like and enjoy chapter 26.**

**Chap theme: 'Down' by ****_Jason Walker_**

**I take no credit for characters with an exception to my OC's.**

* * *

It took a lot longer than expected to loot the expanse of the Kmart, even with the help of Carl, Lori, Carol, Hershel and Beth, devouring the time they had to find shelter for the night. The group had no time to find a place to stay, whether it was a house or just an enclosure of a building, with the sun setting, buried behind the trees surrounding and barely lighting the road ahead of them. They only followed the road for another hour before Rick honked a signal to take rest for the night.

The routine normally went as follows; Daryl went further ahead to find a good area to make camp within the compass of the woods where they could make a small bonfire to eat dinner before they called it a night, retreating back in the warmth of the cars while two kept watch for the first hour.

Elena had been bidding her time, looking for the perfect opportunity to sneak away and take the test that Glenn had inconspicuously given to her when they finally set up camp. She had the box shoved in the back of her pants, hidden underneath her sweater while she sat beside Carl.

Sneaking from the group was a hard task considering they were a small bundle of people and they would notice her missing. She thought about making a small excuse that she had to go relieve her bladder or something. She knew then no one would suggest coming with her. It was the only privacy they still held onto. Still, she didn't make a move to go, having no willing strength to face her fear and get the test over with. Her brain was riddled with rigorous possibilities that she didn't have the courage to find out the verdict. Elena wondered if this was the exact torture Lori went through before she found out she was pregnant.

In the camp, Glenn exchanged glances with her every so often while T-Dog got the fire going, as if waiting for her to finally make the decision of doing what she needed to do. She tried not to meet his gaze, tried not to draw attention to herself and tried to act as completely normal as she could, even though the distress was gnawing at her temples and the pit of her stomach.

"Let's hope it don't start snowin' before we start eatin'," T-Dog remarked to no one in particular.

"Weather has been good so far," Hershel said. "We've been fortunate."

"Could be worse," Maggie added.

"Georgia has had its fair share of bad winters," Hershel replied. "But it comes with an advantage."

"At least it slows the walkers down," Beth chimed in. "Maybe the cold could kill them."

Carl nodded his head. "Yeah, maybe they'll freeze to death."

"We just have to worry about keeping warm ourselves. Find extra clothes, blankets," Lori said.

"And a home…," Beth whispered.

Everyone shot their sights on the young girl, silently agreeing with her statement. A place where they could call home sounded like an unbelievable dream that was out of reach, but they all wanted.

T-Dog was the one to clear his throat and break the awkward silence that suddenly had developed. "So, what's for dinner?"

"We have a few cans of mushroom cream soup," Carol answered before grabbing a brand new stainless steel pot they had retrieved from the Kmart. It was getting difficult cleaning the pots they had with the lack of cleaning supplies in their disposal.

"Perfect."

Elena—who had been silent during the entire exchange—decided to take this opportunity. She stood from her seat beside Carl, who lifted his eyes curiously to her.

"Feeling sick again?" he asked her.

"No." She shook her head, brushing her hands on her pants. She stilled her hands then, realizing the fidgeting wasn't doing her any good. "I'm just gonna head quick to the washroom."

"Take your crowbar with you," T-Dog told her.

She nodded her head, grabbing the metal tool in her hand and the roll of toilet paper Lori handed to her. Luckily, toilet paper was one supply that was plentifully found in the Kmart.

Elena glanced at Glenn momentarily, the look he gave her causing her to swallow hard. She inhaled deeply and stepped away. She headed toward a direction behind a few trees, passing Daryl who was keeping watch nearby as she did so. She didn't need to explain to him where she was going and Elena was thankful for that. One more lie and she knew she was going to break into a confession. As much as she was calm in the outside, all the anxiety was bottling up inside and making it so much harder to breathe the cold air.

Elena entered a thicket, scanning and listening to her surroundings before she got to business. The woods were quiet for the night, echoing with the hoos of an owl and the rustle of branches as the wind brushed on by. Immediately, Elena pulled out the First Response test from the back of her pants, only realizing how shaky her hands were when she settled her crowbar to the ground as she cradled the bent box in her palms. She opened it up, skimming through the directions even though she knew very well how these things worked. She just wanted to make sure she didn't mess things up that momentarily she wished she grabbed a second test just to be certain.

Unfastening her pants, Elena waited for the excruciating couple of minutes that followed as she did what the directions said. Afterwards, she had the test laid on the floor, biting at her fingernails—something that she hadn't done since she was fifteen. She counted the length of a minute directed in her head, each second seemingly slower than the last. But when she got to the last second, she was suddenly choked with fear.

Elena closed her eyes, inhaling long breaths while mindfully giving herself a well needed pep talk before she took the test in her hand. After a moment, with her hands still trembling, she picked up the stick. She stared hard at the result window, her worry suddenly causing her to forget which sign meant pregnant and not pregnant. She shifted her eyes to the text beside the window which gave her the legend where she was finally able to determine the result.

No reaction came to her as she sat there on her heels, each muscle in her body stiff and unable to move. She stared long and hard at the stick, unable to think or to even _feel_ anything.

Elena wiped the sweat on the back of her neck, finally blinking and able to swallow the bile that was stuck in her throat. She grabbed her bearings, taking the stick and deciding to bury it underneath the dead leaves by her feet, doing the same for the box, burying away all evidence.

In that moment, she craved time alone but she knew if she stayed any longer out here, Daryl or whoever would come out looking for her, to make sure she was alright. Instead, she inhaled even breaths in order to ease away the sting that was already beginning to reach her eyes. She rubbed them quickly, hoping they weren't red and praying for once that the tears wouldn't come.

When she thought she was ready, she grabbed her crowbar and headed back to camp. No one became as alert to her returned presence as Glenn did, straightening his back so fast it nearly snapped. Elena bit at her bottom lip, meeting his eyes in which he questioned her with a look, his lips parted with anticipation.

Elena frowned before she gave him an answer to the result.

She shook her head no.

Glenn sighed with relief, a little louder than he meant to that Maggie asked him what he was sighing for. He only shook his head, giving her a quick reply. A wide smile was plastered on his lips and Elena wondered why she wasn't as happy at the verdict as he was.

All she was thinking was how much she wanted the test to come out negative, but now that she got what she asked for, a tinge of disappointment crept up from the back of her mind. It almost surprised her that she was disappointed at all. This should be seen as a blessing, no added concerns and planning for another child. This was a _good_ thing. Why the hell wasn't she happy about this?

The answer came to her when she averted her eyes from the group, looking across the fire at Daryl off in the distance, conversing quietly to Rick.

It wasn't the time to have a child and neither her nor Daryl were ready to be parents, but the thought of actually starting a family with someone she cared for as much as she did Daryl was a prospect she still wanted. She thought this new world would have dampened her dreams, completely made extinct every hope of getting married, having kids and growing old with the man she was in love with. But there was still that want that lingered, that naive thought that had the test come out positive it wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing.

All that came to mind was a little boy or little girl that had her complexion, Daryl's clear blue eyes, her lips, his rare smile…

Elena shook her head, angry at herself for wanting something that wasn't even possible now, maybe never.

Nausea came at her again; this time filled with hidden grief and regret that Elena grabbed her backpack, reaching for the Tums that Daryl had given her, and taking double the amount that was directed. Without a doubt she knew the abdominal pains she had been experiencing since the morning had to be caused by food poisoning, some reaction she had with whatever they ate that would soon run its course in a day or two. The Tums probably wouldn't help to get rid of the ache but at least it would give her a little security until she finally went to sleep, and forgot about this whole ordeal.

* * *

Whatever had gotten into her, Daryl had no idea. Not only had she acted skittish since this morning, but for the duration of dinner she was completely silence, distant, which wasn't like her at all. He saw her at least take the bottle of Tums he found that maybe Elena's behaviour was just her not feeling well again. Even so, he couldn't get that nagging feeling of something being wrong, what with Glenn shaking about nervously and Elena's faraway expression.

What the hell were they up to in that isle before he entered?

Maybe he was just being suspicious over something that just wasn't there, after all Glenn looked a lot less nervous and awkward than he had been a couple of hours ago. Maybe Daryl was just reading too much into things. Whatever the case, silently he hoped that Elena would get better, not just for her health, but because he liked it better when she was more outgoing and smiling than how she was now. This quiet, introverted Elena wasn't like her at all and he just wanted to see her real self again.

Daryl decided to give her the night. If what she said was true and it really was food poisoning that caused her illness then she should be alright the next morning and she'd be back to her old self. She was just having an off day and Daryl couldn't blame her for that. Luckily, in the Kmart he had been with her and noticed the deteriorating smell of the walker behind her, killing it before it got the chance to attack. Her lack of concentration had been result of both deficiency of food and sleep and Daryl understood.

In the meantime, he wouldn't pester her. He'd let her have her space and recuperate and keep down the dinner that she finally ate all of. And maybe tonight she'd finally get a decent nights rest until the next morning.

According to her, her nightmares had gotten exceptionally better and she thought maybe it was because having confessed what she dreamt at night finally loosened the weight they had on her. Knowing that Elena dreamt about him made Daryl curious with what images she saw when she closed her eyes at night. She mentioned before that they were about him being a walker and her choice of having to pull the trigger. All that made the understanding as to why she spent her nights with him on watch so much clearer.

It was her retreat from her subconscious mind that didn't give her peace through the night. Lately though, he noticed she looked less exhausted in the morning, the circles under her eyes brightening, having gotten more sleep each passing day. She also spent less time with him on watch. If it meant Elena was getting more sleep, Daryl was fine with that.

Tonight, she needed to rest so her body had enough energy to fight the virus that caused her illness in the first place. And in the morning, she'd be better.

When the group decided to turn in for the night, whereas Glenn and Maggie took first shift with Rick on standby, Daryl decided to take a leak before turning in himself.

He brushed passed the campfire that had become nothing but ember when T-Dog burnt it out with a splash of water. Daryl shrugged his crossbow over his shoulder and entered a thicket hidden in privacy. When he was finished he turned to head back, brushing through the larger piles of dead leaves when the toe of his boot disturbed something.

Daryl gazed down with mild curiosity as something brightly coloured peeked out from underneath. At first glance, he thought of it as just trash left a while ago, suddenly disinterested in the discovery until his eyes caught something.

The leaves had been recently disturbed before him, the tracker in him alarmed. He realized then that the direction he went was the same path Elena took earlier before dinner and judging by the tracks beneath the leaves she had stopped in the same area. Daryl lifted his boot, finding discreet prints just where he stood but turning away from the pile of leaves he had just brushed through. His curiosity surged then and he bent, swatting the leaves away from the pink object, which was a box that was creased with folds and bends. It was also ripped open.

Daryl grabbed the box, barely registering the small imprint of text that was on the back and turned it over. He went completely still then, his shoulders tensing, unable to blink. Or even breathe.

It had to be a mistake, this couldn't be Elena's. No way was it hers.

Daryl tried to think of every reason why this box couldn't be left by her, why there would be no reason for her to use the product that was inside this box. And yet, no reasoning came to mind. Denial was an assertion that Daryl rarely had, but it came at him so fast that he didn't even want to bother with the truth. And the truth was there, nagging at him, telling him why it had to be hers. Daryl never made mistakes when tracking. He knew these tracks were hers and he remembered seeing this box before. Briefly, he saw it in Glenn's hand when he found him and Elena in the pharmacy isle. And he also saw it on the shelves that they had been standing in front of.

Daryl didn't register it then, the boxes of scattered pregnancy tests, didn't even register it when Glenn had one in his hand. He didn't think much of it. For one, if it was for Maggie it was none of his concern, and two, he didn't really care. What they did in their spare time was their business, and if they slipped up, that was their problem. He never imagined that the slip up would involve Elena and him.

He couldn't remember when was the last time they slept together. Long enough, he thought. It was the only thing he knew how to initiate to get closer to her, to have that intimacy he suddenly wanted with her. To give her the opportunity to forget how shit their life was and to actually feel good even if it was just for a short while. Daryl realized how addicting the distraction was and how he craved it at any time she was near him. However, with all things addictive came consequences.

They didn't use protection, not like Daryl kept condoms handy in his back pocket. And it wasn't like he used the withdrawal method either. It had been so long since he had sex and it had been the first time he had done it with someone he actually cared about. It felt better than all the one-night stands he had before combined. And because of that, he was so wrapped up in all of it that he didn't even think of the aftermath it could cause.

_Shit_. He was in way over his head and all he could think about was why Elena didn't tell him anything about this. This was why she'd been feeling nauseous all day, wasn't it? It was the thing Lori had been going through every morning, hacking up her lungs at the side of the road while the group waited until she was okay to sit back in the Chevy.

Daryl rubbed the back of his hand over his mouth, finally able to stand on his own two feet. He shoved the box into his back pocket, knowing he was going to need it when he confronting Elena about this. He had no idea what he was going to say, or how he would he even ask.

Was she pregnant? With _his_ kid?

All of this was beginning to answer every question that hovered over her sudden behaviour, the faraway look in her eye, her lack of concentration and quieted sociability. And as Daryl thought longer, he realized that Glenn's fickle nervous reactions toward everyone in the group had to have a connection. Glenn knew about this, helping Elena to keep the secret hidden from him.

There was no need for secrets anymore, especially after he told her all she needed to know about his disgrace of a father and his troubled past. This secret wasn't even hers alone, after all Elena didn't get pregnant on her own. Still, Daryl dreaded the answer that would come when he did talk to her.

He was just finally getting used to opening up to her more; hell if he was ready for _this_.

Daryl exhaled roughly, finally leaving the thicket and returning to the vehicles. Maggie and Glenn were left outside; the others having retreated inside of the cars, Elena nowhere in sight.

Chewing the inside of his cheek, Daryl knew he'd have to wait, either until his watch or the morning. He figured the choice was there for him to question Glenn, to find out what the hell he knew, but he decided against it.

He wanted to hear it from Elena, wanted to know why she hadn't said anything and why she thought it was a good time to keep shit from him. He knew now he wasn't going to get his answer without a little bit of patience first, patience that was thinned out to a thread by the agitation that was suddenly boiling over in him.

It was the waiting that was going to drive him crazy.

* * *

"We got a few minutes before everyone wakes up. Ya wanna organize the goods?"

Elena came around the Dodge Ram to where T-Dog stood at the back of it, opening up the tailgate for her. They were the first to be up and about at first light, along with Rick and Daryl, who were out scouring the perimeter to safeguard the area in order to lengthen their time out parked on the road. They did so most often than not to exterminate nearby stragglers that had before invaded their camp on occasion. It gave the group a safe time to wake up, get breakfast going and to plan the next route for the day.

"I know ya got OCD or somethin' and ya like doin' these things," he remarked, gesturing toward the lot of supplies under the tarp in the back of the pickup truck.

When having gathered the supplies from the Kmart yesterday there had been no time to organize everything in the proper order so that whatever provisions were needed in the moment, it would be easily found. This was an idea proposed by Carol, whom had been doing the same thing for the food supply. It made sense and certainly downsized time looking for things. Even so, it was a task rarely anyone liked doing with an exception to Elena. She wouldn't say that she had obsession compulsive disorder; she just liked being the one to coordinate the supplies. It gave her a chore to do and she hated when she was standing around feeling useless. It also kept her mind occupied from overanalyzing situations and circumstances that she wouldn't let go.

She supposed now, that was something she desperately needed.

Elena barely slept a wink last night. Her thoughts had oppressed any wish to get sleep, keeping her up with her over thinking and the self-inflicted letdown about the whole pregnancy episode. Because of the sudden shame of everything that had gone on yesterday, from the deceit and sneaking around, she didn't even have the courage and strength to get out of the truck and join Daryl on watch duty like she always did.

Daryl and her were lucky. Even though they had been completely irresponsible, they had dodged a bullet. And although that's all that should have mattered to her, Elena didn't even regard that acknowledgement. All she could think about was the future and whether their relationship even had one. What if it did and they were actually ready and wanted kids? What if they actually wanted to raise a family together? The 'what ifs' were dangerous thoughts, thoughts that conserved hope for a lot of prospects that weren't even practical. Elena and Daryl raising a family together would probably never happen, not in a world like this. What was she expecting? The charmed life where Daryl and her married and raised a few little ones while they lived happily ever after? This was no fairytale.

Maybe she'd feel better about this later and maybe after a couple of days, give or take, all this would be a distant memory. For once, she needed to shut her mind up and focus on what really mattered now and that was getting through the winter alive first and foremost. That was most important, not letting her mind wander in the stupid fantasy she wanted to live in. Life wasn't the same anymore and it was about time she got use to it.

The fortunate thing about all this was that it saved her the excruciating attempt of telling Daryl everything. It saved her from seeing the same horror on his face that had been on hers. She supposed that was at least a positive.

"Sure," she replied to T-Dog finally. "I'll get this set up before we hit back on the road."

He smirked. "I'll leave you to it then. I'm gonna get breakfast goin' so we get an early head start today."

At the thought of breakfast, Elena felt her stomach constrict, but this time from anticipation. The nausea from yesterday had finally settled, leaving behind just the small twinges but nothing severe enough that made her want to gag before. Elena didn't know if it was the Tums that were actually doing something—which she had taken as soon as she woke up—or if the anxiety she suffered yesterday was now gone. She was feeling the hunger from the meals she had missed.

When T-Dog left, Elena decided to get the organization of goods going in order to get that out of the way so she had time to eat. She lifted back the tarp covering the rear cargo bed which sat both boxes and bags of canned and dry food, batteries, clothes, blankets and other acquired supplies. Elena hopped over onto the tailgate, in order to better sort out the provisions.

"Morning."

Turning her head, Elena looked down from her position where she saw Glenn by the rear tire looking up at her, his face beaming. He appeared well refreshed for the day, appearing to have had a goodnights rest.

At least one of them did.

"Hey," Elena greeted in return, her voice with less enthusiasm. She turned back to separating the supplies.

Glenn's smile faltered, stepping closer to the Dodge and folding his arms over the side as he leaned forward.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, Glenn. I'm fine."

"Then what's with the face?" he asked. He then twisted his head around, craning his neck as he scanned his surrounding, seemingly looking for anyone that may be in earshot. When he turned, he looked back at Elena, his voice hushed as he spoke. "It's about the test, isn't it?"

She didn't say anything, not justifying his conscientious guess with an answer.

But he pressed on. "It _did_ come out negative, right?"

"Yeah."

Glenn frowned. "Isn't that a good thing?"

Elena sighed, rubbing at her tired eyes. "Nevermind, Glenn. Can we just forget about it? It's one less thing to worry about."

"I just…wanted to make sure you're okay." He pursed his lips. "You were just really quiet last night that for a second I thought you lied to me about the result."

She shook her head. "It did come out negative. I was just exhausted, that's it."

Glenn nodded his head slowly. He was silent and Elena continued on doing what she needed to do, unable to look him in the eye through their entire exchange. She didn't even want to think or talk about this anymore.

After a moment, Glenn leaned away from the truck, his eyes lowered to her working hands. "You didn't say anything to Daryl, did you?"

"I have no reason to." She wiped her brow finally averting her eyes to his. "It turned out to be nothing and right now I just want to forget that it ever happened, okay?"

Glenn furrowed his brows with worry, the frown on his lips deepening. Elena suddenly felt guilty for being dismissal even though he was just concerned and giving her someone to talk to about this. Glenn really was the only person she _could_ talk to. Maybe she needed that yesterday, but yesterday was the past and right now Elena wanted to erase the situation from memory. Or at least push it back until it was nothing more than an afterthought.

"Okay," he said in automatic response. "Look, Elena, can I just say something? As a friend?"

Elena stopped, sighing lightly as she straightened her back. She looked back at him, her eyes soft and she nodded.

"I know I can't tell you what to do, and I know you can make your own choices but…" He wavered on his step. "Something like this, I think you should tell him. If it was Maggie, I would want her to tell me."

Elena lowered her eyes. "This is different…"

"Because it's Daryl?"

Biting her lip, Elena pinched her eyes shut as she rubbed away the ache behind her lids. Glenn's inquire was right. Telling something like this to Daryl was easier said than done. What good would come out of telling him that she thought she was pregnant, so she took a test and fortunately it came out negative so there's nothing to worry about? All it would do was confess that she'd been sneaking behind his back in order to get answers on a predicament that in a way they both got themselves into. Daryl wouldn't take too kindly finding out she'd been keeping something like this from him. If Elena said something, the outcome might be a fight and she was beyond having those with Daryl anymore.

All she wanted was some peace and to have things between her and Daryl to run smoothly for once, and if that meant keeping this entire thing to herself, so be it.

"It's complicated, Glenn—this whole situation is, and there's no point stressing out over something that's not really there. I get what you're saying, but I think it's best he doesn't know."

"Okay," he said again. Pulling off the cap from his head, Glenn ran a hand through the wisps of his black hair. He then lowered his hand, rustling with the cap as he looked back at her. "Are we good?"

A soft smile curved Elena's lips and she gazed at him with gentle eyes. "We always were. Thank you, honestly. I know you didn't need to do all this for me."

Glenn matched her smile, shaking his head. "It's nothing, Elena. Call me a softy but…" He paused, fidgeting with his cap. "You're like a sister to me."

"The feeling is mutual." She smiled again. "Little bro."

Glenn let out a lighthearted laugh, throwing the cap back onto his head.

"Glenn!"

The two of them craned their necks at the shout of Maggie's voice.

"Gotta go, wife's calling," he remarked jokingly, slapping his hand against the Dodge. "If you need help with sorting out the supplies…"

Glenn let the offer hang in the air and Elena shook her head politely. "I got this. Go see what your girlfriend wants."

With a grin, Glenn left, leaving behind a lighter weight on Elena's mind and also loosening the ache in her chest. Glenn really was a special guy and Maggie was lucky to have him. Although he didn't have to, he still tried to make sure Elena was alright, concerned for her state of mind. He did more than he needed to, selflessly acting on impulse for others and Elena was irrevocably grateful. Somehow, someday she'd repay him when it was his turn to need someone and Elena realized how true it was that she deeply saw him as family.

Elena returned back to her duties with a lighter head, her negative thoughts not altogether gone but definitely easier to handle.

After a few minutes, she set herself back onto the balls of her feet, straightening the ache in her back. A loud yawn escaped her, so strong it watered her eyes and she wiped the access water when at the corner of her eyes she spotted movement. She was suddenly alert, her senses working on overdrive until she recognized who it was.

At her height, standing on the cargo bed of the truck, she could see Rick climbing back up the slope from the woods, returning onto the pavement. Elena lifted onto her toes in order to see passed him. After a few seconds, Daryl's crossbow was seen, pointed straight up in the air, his hand at the end of it and then the top of his head. The two appeared unharmed and Elena let her nerves subside.

She watched as Daryl lifted himself back onto the road. And she realized something then.

Maybe the world wasn't the same and maybe everything she ever wanted in her future was no longer achievable, but she still had something more than she could ask for. She had him. Daryl meant more to her than past dreams ever will. She closed the chapter of her old life, and this new chapter was worth moving forward and never looking back.

As if by instinct, walking along side Rick toward the vehicles, Daryl turned his head and his eyes met hers. She gave him a small smile even though in this distance she was unsure he would see it.

Rick continued on toward the Chevy, where Lori and Carl were—by assumption—still sleep and Daryl walked passed, seemingly headed to her direction.

Elena moved toward the edge of the Dodge in order to land back down to the ground. He was probably coming to her to see how her health was considering she didn't meet up with him on watch last night. If he asked, she'd tell him that she slept through the night. It was another lie, Elena knew, but she promised herself it was the last one. After that, she was entering a clean slate. No more lies, no more secrets—just honesty, which a relationship _should_ be initially built on.

The sound of footsteps came louder and Elena hopped off the opened tailgate, landing on her feet. She smoothed out the wrinkles in her sweater, lifting her eyes when the footsteps stopped.

At the sight of him, Elena wanted to smile, wanted to ask him how scouting the perimeter went, wanted to know how he was doing this morning. But she never got the chance.

Something flew near her, a quick blur, landing onto the opened tailgate. It tumbled, skidding toward her until it paused. Elena stared at the thing Daryl had tossed onto the tailgate, momentarily confused.

Then Elena went completely still, recognition slapping her so swiftly she felt lightheaded. She stared hard toward the thing that laid on the tailgate. It had once been a box, now bent with folds and water damaged from the winter's frost. She recognized the pink, the typeface of the logo, the size of the box. The familiarity came within a matter of a millisecond that Daryl's piercing gaze barely registered in her brain.

Daryl watched her, his eyes narrowed as Elena stared intently at the box he found last night. She didn't blink, her lips parted in stunned silence. Her breaths grew shallow, let out in puffs of vapor in front of her, her nostrils flaring. She was frozen in shock, as still as a statue. Daryl figured this was the last thing she was expecting to unfold in the morning.

Daryl had waited all of last night to talk to her, barely able to sleep. He had the box with him, staring at it for hours as if the answer he wanted was hidden inside. In a sense it was, but taken away and concealed from the woman in front of him. He had stood on his watch, waiting for her to show up like she always did and each passing minute she didn't come made it that much longer. When a half hour had passed, he gave up waiting, his patience immediately gone, leaving behind a terrifying dread that lingered. She had avoided him last night and with the small knowledge Daryl knew, finding the box and what it meant, he thought the worst.

Scouting the perimeter with Rick at first light gave him the chance to think things through, to calm himself down instead of jumping into conclusions. It gave him time to think of what to say, to think of how to approach her with the question in his head. It gave him time to do this with a level head. However, as much as he tried to prepare himself, Daryl wasn't ready for this.

She had smiled at him like nothing was out of the ordinary, holding on to the façade since yesterday. And what it did was enter a certain ire that he hadn't felt in him in a while. The fact that she was going to continue to keep this secret from him completely blanked his mind from the preamble he planned in his head, and Daryl decided not to beat around the bush. He was jumping straight into it.

"It's yours," he said, gesturing toward the box, "ain't it?"

Elena didn't answer him, her eyes fixed on it. Daryl stared at her for a long while when she finally moved, her hand slowly reaching for the box and taking it in her hand. She held it, her expression lost.

Daryl's jaw clenched. "Found it near the camp. I know it's yours, I ain't stupid."

"I never said you were…"

Daryl's eyes narrowed slightly. He couldn't read passed her shocked expression and his irritation bristled. He chewed the inside of his cheek, lowering his eyes on the box in her hands, the question in his mind begging to be asked. His chest began to tighten, the nervousness inhabiting his body. He hesitated before he parted his lips and looked back into her face.

"Are you…?" he pressed, his voice loud and insistent at first. But he let the question trail off, his need to know replaced with an unrecognizable fear.

Her answer came quick but steady.

"No."

A sigh of relief wanted to escape him, wanted to finally relax his stiff shoulders, but the look on her face wouldn't allow it. For some reason she didn't seem as relieved as he was at the news, relief from the prospect that they could have been condemned with a little life growing inside her that they both weren't ready for. Instead, she looked empty, derived from emotion—well any emotion that Daryl could read.

Daryl watched her, realizing that she still hadn't looked at him even though the secret was out in the open. She didn't even say anything further.

Exhaling a rough sigh, Daryl shook his head once and stepped closer to her. "Why'd the hell didn't ya say anythin' for?" He swung his arm in front of him, gesturing toward her hand. "I gotta find out _this_ way?"

Her face darkened as she chewed on her bottom lip. "I didn't want to worry you…"

"But you can tell _Glenn_?"

"It wasn't by choice," she said, finally meeting his gaze. "He just sort of guessed."

Daryl leaned back, faltering at that. He stared at her closely, his irritability slowly going cold at her posture. She didn't appear defensive or try to stay reserved; she looked tense and smaller than usual.

Daryl felt himself soften, turning away from her for a moment. He wiped the back of his hand over his mouth thoughtfully and exhaled the last of his anger.

"I didn't…," she began and Daryl looked back at her. "I didn't want to say anything if it turned out to be a false alarm. Which it was."

"Don' need to keep shit from me, neither."

Elena frowned, but she slowly nodded her head in agreement. "You're right, I'm sorry."

Daryl lowered his eyes, suddenly unsure where to go from here. All of his predictions were dubbed untrue. Elena wasn't pregnant, and thank God for that. Two nights together, two nights of disregarded irresponsibility, and they dodged a bullet. _Twice_. At least he hoped that the negative test result accounted for both times. But judging by Elena's composure, it probably did.

Elena folded the already dismantled box in her hand, shoving it in her pocket to hide it from any further members of the group. She shifted, placing her hands behind her on the tailgate and leaned against it.

"We should have thought of this before," she began, turning her eyes to him. "I'm not saying I regret our nights together, I just think we should've been more careful. It's bad enough that we have one baby on the way."

She was right. He had thought how reckless it was that Lori had gotten pregnant. He may not have been interested in gossip but he heard things back in the quarry and noticed when he was around Lori and Shane sneaking away together shamelessly. And not just that, but he wouldn't have been surprised that Lori had gotten together with Rick when they reunited. Two guys and she didn't even know who the father was. Daryl remembered thinking how stupid he thought she was, but he was one hell of a hypocrite. He was just as stupid; the only difference here was that they had learned from their mistake before it was too late.

"Did you ever think about having kids?" Elena asked him quietly, her eyes still on him.

He shook his head once, moving himself closer to her and leaning his hip against the tailgate with her. "Ain't something that came to mind." And that was the truth. The last thing Daryl ever thought about was being a father. He didn't even think about finding someone he could care about as much as he did Elena. There were a lot of things he hadn't considered.

Elena nodded her head slowly, averting her eyes. He saw something flash over them as they darkened and he wondered if it had something to do with his answer.

"…You?"

"I…use to." She shrugged. "Y'know, I wanted to get married, have kids, start a family…I don't have the liberty to want those things anymore." For a moment, Daryl thought he saw pain in her gaze, but it was quickly covered with the slight lift of the corner of her lips. "It doesn't matter anyway. I have more than I could ask for. I'm alive and I'm not alone and that has to account for something."

"Could be a hell of a lot worse."

"Yeah..."

"Could've been still lost in the woods and never found the group."

Elena turned her eyes to him, a smile spreading those full lips of hers.

Daryl couldn't imagine what it would be like had she never joined the group, what it would be like if he never had met her, if he never had kissed her. That just sounded like alternate road that seemed solitary and empty. A road he might have taken before but he was gladly forsaken he never did.

Elena then stepped forward, leaning on her toes and kissed him. It was a short kiss, one that lasted nothing more than a couple of seconds, but Daryl didn't realize how much he missed this.

Being affectionate was still a hard task for Daryl, still a hard action to initiate with the lack of experience he had. He hadn't grown up with it, wasn't raised with it, and didn't even know what it felt like to finally have it. It gave him a strange sensation, one of strong fondness for the woman in front of him whom always had the courage and push to make the move. Even just a small peck, the short brush of her lips against his, was powerful enough to get his blood flowing.

When she pulled back, she stared into his eyes with a strong gaze and Daryl felt the corner of his lips twitch.

But it was T-Dog's call that broke the silence. "Yo! Breakfast is served!"

Elena sighed lightly, stepping away from Daryl. She did it in consideration knowing that Daryl was uncomfortable being this close to her in the presence of the group, who were only several meters away. But in that moment surprisingly he didn't care. He replaced her step, dipping his head and covering her mouth with his. The action was heated, pent up with both longing and the small lingering irritation of her having had secretly hiding things from him. He parted from her, barely an inch away and his eyes intensely boar into hers.

"Next time," he whispered, his breaths of vapor steaming between them, "best not lie to me."

Her eyes flashed then and she nodded only slightly. "No more secrets."

Satisfied, Daryl leaned away from her, noticing that the extension of space between them made the tension on her shoulders loosen.

He exhaled, waving his arm to the side. "Go. Get somethin' to eat."

"Are you coming?"

"Right behind ya."

Elena gave a small smile and walked passed him just as he reached for the tailgate of the Dodge Ram and slammed it closed for her. He turned his head, staring into Elena's backside as she went ahead to join the others for the small meal before they continued on through rural Georgia.

A single thought suddenly clouded his mind, however, one that was both important and also a nagging problem. Yesterday they had a close call, one that needed to be well acknowledged and learned, and with that came deliberation. It wasn't said in words, but the careful consideration that Elena said they needed only meant one thing to Daryl.

Abstinence.

He had gone long before without engaging in sex—was use to being celibate and ignoring the craving. But the sexual attraction between them was stronger than Daryl had ever felt before, combined with deep feelings of attachment, that intimacy was not only a yearning but a need as well. Having a woman like Elena at arm's length, so close to the touch and someone he desired almost every damn day, was going to be the most difficult thing to stop himself from having when an opportunity presented itself.


	27. Chapter 27

**In light of the last chapter, I wanted to thank those who have reviewed with understanding my decision in making the test result negative. As much as I like putting Daryl and Elena in difficult situations, that's just one thing I know they're not ready for. Plus, having Lori and Elena in the same predicament kinda seems redundant plotwise in my opinion. I'm not saying that Elena and Daryl will never have kids! There's always a possibility, never say never! Although, I believe after the last chapter I lost a couple of followers. I'm still kinda stumped as to why, but whatever. :P**

**Wanted to welcome the new followers and those that have favourited my self-exhausting story. Please review, I love feedback (not like I've mentioned that before or anything, lol). Enjoy this long ass chapter, which was highly inspired by something Carl said to Beth in the first episode of season 3.**

**I take no credit for characters with an exception to my OC's.**

* * *

"Ya got it?"

"Yeah, hoist it up."

Elena held the handlebars to Daryl's brother's chopped '60s Triumph a she stood atop the Dodge's cargo bed. The motorcycles head wheel was rested on the tailgate while the back tire sat between Daryl's legs where he stood beneath her on the ground. He had his hands underneath the cruiser seat, waiting for her to give him the go ahead.

In one slow calculated motion, Daryl lifted, his jaw going taut as he raised the incredible weight of the chopper. Elena pulled, forcing the motorcycle onto the bed. The chopper was a lot heavier than she expected. She struggled for a moment, both astonished and impressed that Daryl could lift the load. She pushed further, her boots sliding back.

"Steer," Daryl grunted. "Let the tires do the work."

Elena did as he told her, gritting her teeth and adjusting her footing. The front tire began to turn forward, giving her the leverage she needed to pull the motorcycle further in. With a short groan, Daryl elevated the rear tire completely up, where it landed with a heavy thud onto the opened tailgate, the weight of the ride causing the creaks on the Dodges shocks.

Daryl then hoisted himself up onto the bed, replacing Elena's side, taking the handle bars and slowly laid down the chopper.

Elena stepped back, allowing him to position the motorcycle so it was both secured and well placed in the back of the Dodge Ram.

_It was about time_, she thought.

Through the days Elena had hinted that he should retire the motorcycle for the winter now that the weather was getting a hell of a lot worse. The heavy snowfall started over a day ago and it hadn't let up, leaving behind a sheet of snow over the roads, also concealing black ice that frosted the pavement. She was concerned for his safety riding it, not because she thought of him as an inadequate driver, but because God forbid anything went wrong, he had nothing to break his fall. She knew wearing a helmet was definitely not a Daryl thing to do, but safety was a lot more important than style. And his safety was more important to her than anything.

Elena grabbed at the tarp that had been protecting the small amount of supplies in the back of the pickup and draped it over the motorcycle to protect it from possible erosion from the weather. Daryl gazed at her momentarily, subtle gratitude set in his eyes.

He took well care of the bike, and Elena assumed he did so because it was the last piece he had of his brother's. The least she could do was treat it with the same respect.

Turning, Elena hopped off the back of the Dodge, landing on her feet. She exhaled, clouds of vapor more vibrant from the temperature escaping her lips. She blinked suddenly as snowflakes continued to fall, sticking to her dark eyelashes and she wiped them away. A few seconds after, Elena heard the creaking of the Dodge's rear tires before Daryl landed on the pavement beside her.

"It's about time you joined me in the truck," she remarked and shut the tailgate.

He cocked up a brow. "Why?"

"I didn't want you driving the bike in this shit weather."

Daryl stared at her intently. "Ya worry too much."

"Maybe," she replied. "But the roads are getting worse. You get mad at me for worrying you? Call this payback."

He sighed roughly at that with a slight shake of his head. The snowflakes fell fast over his brown hair, dampening the strands that fell over his forehead. Elena stepped forward, bringing a hand to his face to brush the strands to the side like he normally did. But she faltered.

Daryl suddenly recoiled at the touch. Elena frowned and pulled her hand back.

It hadn't been the first time he'd done it. Ever since the pregnancy scare, Daryl had returned to his old ways of tensing when she got too close to him. At first it had worried her, making her wonder if their situation had caused a space between them and returned that uncomfortable tension. She thought it had scared him to become distant again but on further inspection, it was a lot deeper than that. Any time she touched him, whether it was on his arm or even a small peck on the cheek, his eyes darkened, riddled with provoked thirst. And a flash of internal struggle.

Because of the pregnancy scare, their relationship was at a standstill, frozen from heated moments and fervent acts of desire. She understood the sudden drawback, but at the same time it frustrated her. The closer she wanted to be with Daryl, the harder it was because of her suggestion that they'd be careful from now on.

Although he had gotten a little better since then, Elena wondered if their abstinence was forcing the space.

She would be the first to admit that she missed it, the times they had of rushed actions of lust that was actually something new to her. She couldn't remember in past relationships whether she wanted someone as much as she did Daryl. It was easier when they rarely had the privacy, but there had been a couple opportunities they had been alone long enough, and having to step back from it was a hard choice to make. The frustration was a reminder of how things use to be.

Some days she wondered if the need to spend a night with Daryl, to claim that moment of bliss, was also a desperate need to distract herself from how their lives were and how it was hanging by a thread. It was the unbridled need to not feel alone in the wreckage of this plague. And it was also their last ounce of freedom they could feel.

However, that ounce of freedom was something they could no longer initiate not unless they supplied themselves with the contraceptives, which was something that neither of them had.

When Elena finally dropped her hand to her side, Daryl's eyes lowered momentarily, aware of his response causing her hesitation and he sighed. Gently, he grabbed her arm before jerking his chin. "C'mon, Rick wants us around to plan where we're headed."

Elena nodded her head, allowing him to guide her back to the others.

* * *

Rick furrowed his brow, staring out down the road that bared the resemblance of a winter wonderland. All that could be seen was white and the dark brown of the forests girth along the road. He hadn't seen snow this much since last January. And it worried him.

The snow had come down the morning of a few days prior and it hadn't ceased its onslaught, coming down with force and burying the roads in snow. Fortunately, it was wet snow and it would be gone give or a take several hours if it would just stop falling.

The group was deep into rural Georgia where farmlands stretched out for miles on end and leaving no such shelter for the group to find. The temperature had gone colder below the minuses that sleeping in the vehicles at night was a decision too risky. Ideally, they turned on the heaters in the vehicles to a minimum; conserving fuel as much as possible but Rick knew they couldn't do this anymore. Judging by the clouds of angry grey hovering above, this snowfall was just the calm before the storm. And it was rolling in quickly. The weather was making it too difficult to drive.

Rick dreaded this time, knowing very well what it meant now.

When he turned back, facing the parked vehicles where the entire group huddled around the Hyundai, he took in the face of every individual. Each of them were red faced from the cold, bundled in layers of clothing they had gradually gathered in assortment of places they combed. They all waited by the new map they found at a gas station that was rolled out spread on top of the hood of the SUV.

"I know we're all cold and exhausted," he began, his voice strong and levelled. "The snowfall hasn't stopped and a storm is rollin' in. We can't scavenge supplies like this and we can't stay out on the road, not until the storm blows through. We need to find shelter, somewhere where we can hold up, a week at the most if need be."

"What about the last house we stayed at?" Beth inquired quietly.

T-Dog shook his head, crossing his arms and leaning against the driver side of the Hyundai. "That place is a couple days behind us. No way we can make that trip before the storm."

"We're stuck in the boonies," Glenn remarked. "Where are we gonna find shelter?"

Rick stepped forward, gazing toward the map. "We need someplace secure, not just from walkers but from the outside. Someplace that has insulation."

"There's a lot of farmland here, maybe we can stay in a barn?" Carol offered.

Hershel chimed in. "The barns here are old and rotted, long abandoned. We need someplace that will stand long enough."

"What's around this area?" Elena asked.

"Not much," Glenn answered. He then gazed down at the map, his index finger sliding over an illustrated trail on the wet paper. "We're relatively in this area, the only thing we'll find for miles are gas stations and I don't think we wanna stay in a shoe box for a week."

"If worse comes to worst, I think it's the only choice we have," Lori remarked. She then averted her eyes toward Rick questioningly.

Her arms were wrapped around her, protectively shielding the small baby bump that Rick knew was there. Seeing her like that, so wrapped up and cold, it pained him. His son was beside her, his arms wrapped tight around himself in a coat two sizes too big. Rick didn't care; even a gas station would suffice.

"A gas station will do," he said. "We're at the border of Pearson county, where would be the closest one?"

Glenn pursed his lips, scrutinizing his eyes at the map.

"Wait a minute."

Everyone shot their eyes toward Elena, whom had caused the interruption. She stood beside Daryl her hands shoved in the pockets of an army green military inspired jacket—one that Rick thought she got specifically because it reminded her of Toni. Elena's brows were furrowed, her eyes narrowed thoughtfully.

"What?" Glenn said.

"What county did you say we're at?"

"Pearson."

Elena stepped forward, everyone watching her curiously as she leant her hands against the hood of the SUV and analyzed the map. "From which side?"

"East," Glenn answered slowly. "Why?"

She didn't answer right away, looking overpowered with concentration as if committing the entire map to memory. "I know where we can go."

Rick cocked up a brow, tilting his head. "You know these parts?" he asked with surprised appraisal. From what he knew, Elena had lived in Atlanta. He couldn't imagine her being aware of the countryside.

"Not really," she said honestly. "I've only been through this county once, but I know exactly where we can find shelter." She lifted her eyes, her gaze set on Rick's. "Remember those storage units we found a while ago?"

Rick had a full recollection of the place, but he was still unsure where Elena was going with this.

Glenn appeared to be the only one who knew. "They used that place for shelter."

Elena nodded. "On the east side, not too far in is Pearson's Self-Storage. All indoor and the place is huge."

"If it ain't been used, it's worth a shot," Daryl said after a while.

"And if the place was used for shelter? Like the one before?" Rick pressed.

"I doubt it," she replied. "This place is almost in the middle of nowhere, driving in supplies and refugees would have been too much of a distance from the cities."

The muscle in Rick's jaw tightened and he contemplated the suggestion for a moment.

The storage units they had found before was used for shelter to citizens and had been overrun by which ever circumstance that had happened there. Rick remembered the horde of walkers that inhabited the place, remembered that devouring fear when he thought he lost Carl. Those storage units were not a pleasant memory and with that brought skepticism toward Elena's proposition.

Although it may have been the best plan that had been put on the table, with a foundation as protected and spaced as self storages were, there still came a lingering reluctance in Rick's mind. They could take the ride there, through the east and take their chances, but they only had so little. If the area was overrun, there was no other place left to go. Rick had thought starvation was the main threat, the fear to their motivation to gather as much food as they possibly could. Now that they had enough to last them a month's stay, shielding themselves from winters aggression was their next big problem.

Rick wasn't biased toward the idea, but he didn't have anything else in accommodation. When he lifted his eyes, looking back to his people who were all waiting for his answer expectedly, he felt a sudden weight slamming against his shoulders. Desperation could be seen in their eyes, some of their faces buried in the collar of their jackets, their sight narrowed from the passing wind. And yet, with the suggestion presented, they all looked hopeful. And that was one thing Rick would never take from them.

"Alright," he began, his voice hoarse in the winter's air, "we don't have much choice. We're headin' east. Take the time now to get things out of the way. We have a two hour drive ahead of us. No pit stops unless it's an emergency. We need to get a head start before the storm catches up to us."

* * *

There was a reason why Daryl liked riding solo on the back of his brother's motorcycle. It gave him the chance to clear his mind, to rid away any thoughts of walkers, the group's survival, the small past indications if his brother Merle was alive and anything and all that had to do with the woman that sat behind him in the backseat of the Dodge pickup.

It had gotten too cold to ride the chopper and with the snow falling in patches it dampened the poncho Elena had given him that he normally used to shield himself from the temperature. He couldn't ride the motorcycle anymore, not with the pressing winds and with Elena always on his back about finally joining her and T-Dog in the Dodge. She was concerned for his safety riding the Triumph on the icy roads, but it wasn't pride refusing him from retiring the ride. It was the space he needed from her.

It wasn't that Daryl didn't like her company or the presence of her warmth nearby, it was the need to touch her and to be closer to her that was the problem. He did the best he could to inconspicuously keep a distance, but his responses to her actions toward him hadn't gone unnoticed. She kept the hurt expression on her face well hidden and barely there, but Daryl could see it and he hated having been the one to cause it. It may not have been the best plan to keep things controlled between them, however, it was the only plan he had.

He tried to keep any acts of intimate engagements to a minimum, knowing full well that even a short kiss exchanged would snap the restraint he still had that was already cracking. He knew it would provoke his desire for her, and he wasn't sure how much self-control he had. Worst of all were instances they had being alone for once in the enclave of the Dodge while T-Dog was out keeping watch for the hour. Back when the temperature wasn't so bad, Daryl caught his hours of sleep on the cargo bed of the pickup. However, now that winter had fallen down over them, he couldn't avoid having to take up the space they had in the Dodge's cab.

Being in the Dodge with Elena sleeping barely inches away, he couldn't fall asleep, his mind pestering him with the memories they had in the pickup before, stimulating his body and pushing him to make a move with the rare time they had with privacy. Sometimes he wondered if it wasn't only him having to go through this torture.

Elena had seemed altogether calm and normal, but Daryl couldn't ignore the small tinges over her eyes when they stood by each other. It was like starving from hunger with a large plate of food in front of you and not being able to eat it.

The pregnancy scare had become a huge wall in their relationship, causing the spark to dim that Daryl had become desperate to keep things together. Secretly, during their short scavenging through convenience stores and gas stations, he kept his eyes open for any contraceptives. LifeStyles, Trojan rubbers, birth control… Anything. But he hadn't had much luck. Were assholes taking and hording this shit so they could get laid as much as they could before they died? He wondered if that question was relative to him also, wondered if his dire need to spend a night with Elena was just to relieve himself from the sexual frustration that was building up. The thought immediately made him ashamed, suddenly creating the guilty inquire that he was just using her for sexual release. But through everything they had gone through, through the fights, the dangers and being with each other through this great epidemic, Daryl was confident that wasn't the case.

So many years, with the influence of Merle and his careless lifestyle, Daryl was conditioned to believe that sex was an act of means of feeding off the pleasure from someone until you were satisfied, and leaving it from there. In the past, Daryl didn't think it could mean anything more than that. But now, experiencing a relationship with Elena and learning how these things worked and what it felt like to be needed physically, he knew now that it came with a whole different meaning.

It was a way to express how they felt for one another without using words, to make each other feel wanted and good in the intimate act. It wasn't a selfish cause he was made to believe, it was something that they both needed from each other. And it was something that they were both deprived of.

Maybe they didn't necessarily need sex to be intimate, but Daryl knew anything they did to fill the void would lead up to that, and he didn't know if he had the strength and willpower to stop himself from taking what he needed from her. And he was sure that Elena wouldn't stop him either.

However, the last thing they needed was a situation they had last time.

"So," T-Dog began, breaking the silence that settled in the Dodge. The group had been driving through the roads for what had to be a half hour, with T-Dog behind the wheel and Elena directing him where to lead the others from the backseat, recalling her memory on the location of Pearson Self-Storage. Daryl had been sitting in the passenger seat quietly, his arm rested against his door, trying to avoid looking at Elena's reflection behind him in his side mirror to limit his thoughts of her. It hadn't helped.

"So…?" Elena repeated.

"What was a hardcore Atlanta city girl doing this far in the Pearson county countryside?" he continued with a smirk. "With the mosquitoes and no air-conditioning…"

"_Funny_," she replied half-heartedly. "I drove in with Toni and my sister months ago when they announced their engagement. They were investing in new furniture for a house they were saving up for and had no room to put it in their condo."

Daryl listened and inhaled when he suddenly caught the scent of rich lavender. Involuntarily, he shifted his head to the left only slightly, the corner of his eyes catching sight of Elena leaning forward, crossing her arms over the front seat between him and T-Dog. He realized then that it was coming from her.

Rarely did the group have to time to focus on their hygiene when so many more pressing matters were afoot, but given the lessening of danger from walkers, finally being able to wash clothes and themselves was a possibility. Elena's hair was pulled back in a ponytail like she normally had it, falling down around her neck and over her shoulder where it ended at her right breast. Her hair looked well washed and smooth and Daryl had a sudden urge to bury his hands in it.

Elena then continued, breaking Daryl out of his reverie. "Toni's parents owned a storage unit that they rarely used here and offered the space. I helped them move the furniture in."

"Isn't it kinda outta the way?" T-Dog asked, giving her a sideways glance. "It's a hell of a long way from Atlanta."

Elena shook her head. "They were going to move out of the city. Toni wanted to quit the military and open a body shop nearby. My sister was a travel agent, so she worked at home."

T-Dog nodded his head. "Makes sense to live the quiet life out here."

"Yeah," Elena agreed before a frown creased her lips.

T-Dog sighed. "Sorry, girlie, for bringin' up bad memories."

"It's okay."

Daryl narrowed his eyes at the sound of her voice. For a moment it sounded strained.

"Well, if the place is empty and it's as big as you said it was," T-Dog said, a wide smile on his lips, "we'll finally have space for ourselves."

Elena smiled in return.

To finally have a place to stay, maybe even a place they could call home was something Daryl had forgotten about. He was so used to the travelling, use to always being on his feet and on the go, use to always having his back to the wall and fighting. Having a place to stay, to relax the stiffness that had grown in his muscles, sounded like a change that he could welcome.

* * *

The two hour drive promised elongated when the snowfall got worse, taking them an extra hour to get to Pearson's Self-Storage. Under the snow, Elena could see that it hadn't changed much since the last time she'd been there. The land exceeded far, packed with the foundation of the units and secured behind a wired fence. The gate had been torn down and withered from the destruction of the weather. Elena wasn't surprised, the place was old and had been struggling for business for a while, which was the reason why the units were cheap to rent.

T-Dog steered the Dodge in slowly, under guard while scouting the area along with Daryl who peered out his window. However, there was no indication that anybody had been there for a while. Unlike the storage units before there was no lone bodies left on the parking lot, no heaps of corpses buried under the thin layer of snow. Even so, it didn't necessarily mean they could dub the place safe to stay.

T-Dog finally eased on the accelerator and braked the truck to a stop nearby the front office just before the entrance to the units. Through the whistles of the wind, car doors could be heard slamming shut and Elena followed T-Dog and Daryl out of the truck to meet up with Rick, Glenn and Hershel outside.

Rick gazed along the building, taking in every corner.

"What do you think?" Glenn asked him.

"We'll canvass the inside, make sure everythin' is secure. Should keep the cars runnin' just in case," he said. "Elena, you know this place better than any of us so you'll come with us. Daryl and I will take lead and you and T will get the rear. Glenn, stay behind with Hershel, keep everyone safe until we get back."

"Okay," Glenn replied.

"Be careful," Hershel whispered, his eyes taking in the expanse of the area. "A number of things could be in there."

Rick nodded his head then looked back to the others. "Let's go."

Elena followed close behind, weapon ready and her eyes drifting around. The memories may have been distant, but they came back to her quick as she walked the same path she had taken with Toni and Amelia to the front entrance so long ago. However, as soon as they got to the blue door and Rick grabbed the handle, it didn't open like it had for them.

"Locked," T-Dog sighed. "And I don't think it's a good idea to break it if we're stayin' here."

"They may have left the keys in the office," Elena suggested

Rick appeared to have thought of this also as he nodded his head. "Daryl, go with her."

Daryl nodded his head once, jerking his chin forward at Elena for her to lead the way. She broke into a quick jog toward the main office just a few paces out. Reaching the front door, Daryl flattened his back on the wall, his crossbow tight in his hands and he averted his eyes toward her, giving her the go ahead. Elena peered through the doors window first before taking her tool and jamming it against the doors frame. Daryl waited as she cranked it, giving three strong heaves before the lock gave in and broke with a loud clank.

Daryl lifted his hand then, signalling her to wait before he nudged the door slightly open with his boot. Daryl entered, aiming his crossbow from side to side, his advancing steps slow. Elena followed, switching her gaze from left to right.

The front office was a small space that had been completely engulfed in the dark. The room looked barely touched, with an exception to the empty vending machine at their left. A long white counter divided the space in two, where the front desk stood secure behind, possibly to hide files from prying eyes of customers. A bulletin board hung from the wall beyond it, pinned with papers of information that was unimportant to their cause.

Daryl pushed forward, looking over the counter.

"Anything?" Elena asked him quietly.

"Naw."

Elena sighed at that, lowering her crowbar and walking around the counter to the desk. The small area was a mess, the surface spewed with old wrappers and aluminum foils overtop a keyboard that belonged to the ancient IBM computer at the corner of the desk. Elena searched passed the staked files and paper clippings, setting aside pages of papers that were sprawled across the entire surface.

Finally she lifted her eyes, staring at Daryl across the counter and shook her head.

Daryl exhaled roughly, his jaw clenching and he averted his eyes. He then whistled, catching Elena's attention and jerked his chin toward a door she hadn't noticed behind her. A plaque hung from it that read Security. She assumed it was where they kept surveillance and possible keys to the locks of the place. Elena pulled away from the desk, making her way toward the door with him. When she reached for the knob, Daryl suddenly caught her wrist.

"Listen," he whispered.

She furrowed her brow, gazing at him with confusion then back at the door. She strained her ears for a second, unsure what she was listening for. At first, no sound was heard, only their short breaths and Elena's steady heartbeat.

She shot her eyes back at Daryl. "I don't hear—"

In that instant, the door jolted with a loud bang, causing Elena to nearly jump out of her own skin and she skipped back a step. Her heartbeat began to thunder with alarm. The door gave out a couple more spasms, followed by light scratching beyond it. Muffled moans sounded afterwards and Elena tightened her knuckles on her crowbar.

Daryl then lightly nudged the stirrup of his crossbow against her elbow. She met his eyes and he jerked his chin toward the door and adjusted his footing, his crossbow aimed tight.

Elena exhaled lightly, lifting her left hand.

"Easy," Daryl told her.

She nodded slightly, wrapping her fingers around the knob. The scratching behind the door hadn't ceased and Elena mentally got herself ready for the attack her and Daryl were about to enforce. Her crowbar was held out to her side, her arm straight and ready to swing and slowly she turned the knob.

In many instances, walkers were slow, lazy and clumsy, their movements that of drunkenly conduct and with the winters cold temperature their movements weakened in both speed and strength. But as Elena opened the door, knowing very well that a walker stood behind it desperate to escape, she hadn't prepared herself for what happened next.

She barely had the door slightly ajar when a force slammed it open, slipping the knob from her fingers. A blur suddenly pounced into her midsection before she had the chance to swing her weapon. Gravity hit then, followed by Daryl's call and she was violently swept off her heels, slamming against something behind her before she landed to the ground. However, her spine was cushioned by the fall, a grunt sounding beneath her.

Elena didn't have the time to register what had just happened when the face of man came into her line of sight, crawling atop of her, his pale eyes hollow, skin grey, stretched over bone and his jaw gapping open, black teeth dripping of bile and drool. The walker's fingers clawed at her, pulling its weight over Elena. It barred its teeth, widened its jaw so far she thought she heard a snap when it lunged forward.

In that instant, Elena threw her crowbar in between, the walker's jaws caught around the length of the tool. It snapped at it, molars cracking as it bit into the medal and Elena held it as strong as she could. The walker continued to push forward, gnawing stupidly into the tool. Elena tried to let go for a moment, wanting to grab her switchblade from her pocket but when the walker leaned in too close, she shot her hand back. It was a lot stronger than she remembered them being, driven with hunger that its strength began to overpower hers. But it was when she felt something crawling up her leg did she suck in a breath.

"Oh, _shit_."

Elena felt another weight tighten atop of her, a second decomposed face entering her line of vision. It crawled over top the first walker, its bony hands reaching around, its dirty fingers tips barely touching her cheeks. Elena's breath hitched.

Then, she saw something in her peripheral, an arm reaching out to the side. All of this was happening in the matter of seconds that Elena didn't even have the time to finally realize that it had been Daryl that had broken her fall, lying flat underneath her, short grunts escaping his lips from the added weight crushing his body. She saw his fingers desperately reach for the sheath that he had hanging from his belt. Elena's eyes shifted from Daryl's hand then back at the walker that she continued to try to force back. Swiftly, she heard the quick slide of steel on leather and then Daryl's fist shoot toward the head of the first walker, a blade at the end of it. His hunting knife pierced deadly through bone and tissue. The walker ceased all movements suddenly, its jaw no longer snapping against the metal of her crowbar, its violent push no longer causing the strain on Elena's forearms.

Elena then felt a tight grip around her waist before Daryl forced her on her side, pushing the shoulder of the dead walker where it landed with a thud beside her. He brought his leg up and stomped the heel of his boot hard against the second walker. It growled, its fingers griping a handful of Elena's pants and Daryl kicked it again. The walker finally let go.

Elena rolled back on her knees, twisting her crowbar in her right hand and spurted forward just as the corpse began to rise up. Instinct controlled her movements, adrenaline pumping harshly in her veins. She swung her crowbar against the side of the walker's head. The walker slammed violently to the ground and Elena took the opportunity while it was currently vulnerable. She came at its side, lifting her weapon before plunging down into its skull. Blood spewed and Elena pulled back, stabbing the crowbar down once again for good measure. The walker stopped moving.

It was a couple of minutes after, with Elena lying collapsed on her back, her heart pounding in her ears, her breathing harsh, did she finally lift her head. Daryl sat up, looking over the aftermath of the attack before his eyes met hers.

"You okay?" she panted.

He didn't say anything, getting himself back on his feet and stepped toward her, lending out a hand. Elena took it and he pulled her back on her feet. He looked over her momentarily before they both set their eyes on the dead corpses beneath them.

The two walkers were dead men, surprisingly well preserved than the walking corpses they had seen before. Each was wearing matching attire; blue security uniforms with similar holstered belts and dress shoes.

Daryl bent, looking back and forth over the two of them. He analyzed their profiles before he leaned back on his heels.

"They ain't bit."

Elena blinked, rubbing at the blood that had stained the olive green of her jacket. "How'd they die here? They don't look like they starved."

"Dumbasses shot each other." Daryl looked up at her. When she gave him a furrowed look of confusion he pointed down toward one of the bodies. "Both of 'em got bullet wounds."

Elena leant down beside him, looking over the two bodies. Within closer inspection she could see the blood that spread from underneath the fabric of their uniforms. The first walker had an oozing hole just above his heart; the other had the wound at the side of his body. Guesses came to mind of what had happened to the two security guards that worked here in Pearson Self-Storage. Maybe they had been here since the whole epidemic started, living together in the office, feeding off of vending machine goodies—which was proven by the wrappers she found sprawled on the front desk—and maybe they had a argument for whatever reason. One thing led to another and a gunfight issued, leaving one fatality and the second man to bleed to death. Of course this was all speculation through circumstantial evidence.

Elena sighed, not overly surprised of the possible situation that killed these two men and made them turn. She pursed her lips momentarily when Daryl grabbed the hilt of his knife from the first walker's skull and pulled it out before wiping the blood on the blade off with the dead man's shirt. Elena glided her eyes absently over the body, decided to leave it at that when she noticed something shine at the corpse's side in the light coming from outside. She reached for it.

"What?" Daryl asked her, before grabbing his crossbow from the floor.

"Found the keys," she answered him. The keys were linked to a retractable keychain locked onto the dead man's belt and Elena pulled at it before taking her gutting knife from her pocket. She flicked it open and severed the string.

"C'mon, Rick's waitin'.'' Daryl grabbed her arm gently, pulling her back up on her feet and they made their way out of the front office.

* * *

The compass of the storage units were much alike the ones they had entered before. Dark and narrow halls, with the units lined up on either side, but all closed. The area was old, some doors slightly rusted at the ends, but a lot cleaner than the other units they entered. It was just like Elena remembered. The place looked like it hadn't been used much since the plague started, not for shelter and certainly not for business.

The four of them walked down the long stretch of halls quietly, through the long maze of units, the building much more largely built. Elena had been following close beside T-Dog in the rear, remembering that all the halls connected in threes, both at either end of the building and also at the middle. Rick held the flashlight ahead, scanning all closed units for any indications of malicious entry, any sight of blood that could indicate the possibility of walker cadavers in the vicinity. Elena supposed that he expected another outcome like last time, but neither the walls nor the floors were stained with anything red. The security guards had kept this place well clean and protected when they were alive.

Elena didn't know how long it had been as they walked through the halls, peering and scouting every corner without an inch left unanalyzed. And when she spotted the wall up ahead, she knew they were nearing the end. The place was empty, quiet and completely secure. Thank God.

She inhaled, a new found hope settling, until she flinched violently. A scent suddenly attacked her nostrils, piercingly volatile that her eyes watered.

She slapped her hand over her nose, her stomach churning. "Do you guys smell that?"

"Damn…," T-Dog whispered and coughed. "What the hell is _that_?"

Elena tried to breathe through her mouth, pinching her nostrils closed but the stench still managed to assault her senses.

"It's comin' from over here."

They turned at Daryl's claim, where he stood by one of the closed units. He illuminated it with the bulb of his flashlight, scanning the door until he stopped at the bottom of it. Rick stepped forward and bent, touching his fingers over the metal and bringing them into the light.

Dry blood.

Rick straightened himself up, lifting his arm as a signal for them to get back. He looked over to Daryl then, whom gave him a short nod and aimed his crossbow.

Elena watched, pulling her hand away from her nose to grasp her crowbar tight and ready just as T-Dog positioned himself beside her. They waited as Rick steadied himself, his hands on the handle. In one quick motion, he slid the door open.

Elena turned her face away in that instant, bile coming up her throat and making her gag. She plugged her nose tightly, the pressure almost painful but desperate in suppressing the vile odor that spread. She looked back with wet eyes, stinging from the smell. The others pulled back also, each of their faces pale and contorted with disgust.

"Guess we know"—T-Dog coughed and cleared his throat—"where they've been puttin' the dead walkers."

The unit was filled with bodies, each sprawled over each other and piled up. Elena couldn't count how many there were, twenty-maybe more. She didn't really want to guess. Majority of the bodies were completely decomposed, most just skin and bone, their skin grey, their teeth brimming over their thin lips and molded. Some of them were either missing a limb, or a piece of their flesh from bite marks, the wounds now brown and dried up.

Rick found the courage to pull his hand away from blocking the odor from filling his nostrils, stepping up on his toes to reach the handle and slam the door back shut.

"We can't leave the bodies in there if we plan on stayin' here," he managed to say. He cleared his throat and sniffed. "We'll take shelter in the units near the exit. In the mornin' we'll move the bodies and burn them out back. Maybe the smell will go away in a couple of days."

"Tomorrow is gonna be one hell of a mornin'," T-Dog remarked.

"Elena, go get the others and help them pack everythin' in, we'll clear some units out for us," Rick told her.

She nodded her head and turned back, jogging back to the exit.

With the snow falling quickly, everyone began bringing in the provisions as fast as they were able while the men tasked themselves with emptying units for the group, throwing away both boxes of junk and furniture owned by previous owners. Rick instructed for the women to keep some supplies left in the vehicles as an added precaution in case they had to leave at any point in time in a hurry from whatever unplanned circumstance that could follow. Hopefully that was an event that wouldn't happen.

The group settled themselves in the units, preparing their temporary home for the possible week they would be staying here. Lori, Carl, Rick and Carol set themselves within one unit, Hershel, Beth and T-Dog across from them, Elena, Maggie and Glenn beside, while Daryl gathered his things in a unit on his own. The individual rooms were a nice change even if the units were filthy with dust and the scent of mothballs.

Elena packed her things in the corner of her shared unit, her duffel bag with her clothing, her backpack with her other belongings and her weapons in close range.

"So, this is home?" Glenn asked, dropping his bag in the opposite corner.

"It's not bad," Maggie replied and sat herself on the cold concrete. "It don' smell great but we've been in worse."

"We'll get use to the smell," Elena remarked. "We can make this place livable. People probably stored chairs, sofas and stuff here. We can move them in so we don't have to sleep on the floors."

"That's not a bad idea," Glenn said. "Rick mentioned that tomorrow we should look through the units, search for anything we can use. Gotta be a lot of things here."

"I dunno," Maggie chimed in. "Haven't you watched those shows where they bid on storage units? All they find is junk."

"Well, this place is huge. There's gotta be something."

Maggie smiled slightly but didn't look convinced. "Glenn, always a glass half-full kinda guy."

Glenn laughed and lowered himself beside her before leaning forward, stroking her short brown hair away from her face and brushed his lips against her cheek. Her smile widened and Maggie turned her head toward him, planting a kiss on his lips.

Elena turned away, both uncomfortable and maybe a little bit envious. Sometimes—even though she understood his reasoning—she wished being affectionate with Daryl was as easy as it was for Glenn and Maggie. She wasn't looking for public displays of affection by all means, but ever since their lack of interaction she couldn't help but miss the touch.

That night, the wind whistled violently outside, the snow becoming strong sleet that came down harshly. The snow that had become freezing rain could be heard above their heads as each ice pellet slammed hard from the skies and onto the roof. There was no intermission as the weather got considerably worse, the storm beginning to invade rural Georgia, the angry grey clouds infesting the skies and darkening them. It had been a long time since they had seen Georgia's weather as bad as this, years even, and the grim expressions of everyone one lightened slightly over the fact that they had the shelter to shield themselves from it. But only slightly.

For dinner, T-Dog prepared the group a meal with the food supply that was coming close to the expiry date. For once, they are not rushed as they eat, gathering close together while enjoying the freedom of being secured in an enclosed space, safe from both the storm and walkers. Rick kept watch anyway, nearby the front entrance away from the others as he gazed out into the dark evening. Its hours after he returned to the group, informing everyone that they had an early and busy morning ahead. Everyone decided to call it a night then; settling themselves back into their individual units and dimming the lights from their battery operated lanterns taken from the Kmart a few days ago.

Elena tried to get some sleep, fighting with a thick cotton blanket wrapped around her as she tossed in a comfortable position. As frustrating as it was, she still had difficulty falling asleep right away with the nightmares still haunting her. The occasional tossing and turning wasn't constant as it had been. Lately, she had noticed that falling asleep had become easier than prior days ever since Daryl had taken space in the Dodge's cab at night. Elena wondered about this at times, curious about the connection and she had some kind of idea as to why that was so.

But this time it wasn't just the nightmares that still preoccupied her ability to achieve REM sleep, it was the couple beside her. Elena supposed that Maggie and Glenn spoke in hushed voices toward one another to avoid waking her, even though she was thoroughly awake and could clearly hear every whisper and kiss exchanged between the two under the winds of the storm overhead. Elena tried turning away, burying her face into her blanket to muffle them out. She wasn't purposely eavesdropping but it wasn't like she had the power to turn her ears off. Elena pinched her eyes shut, trying to focus on the sounds of the storm. Even then it was no use.

She sighed and sat up, wrapping the blanket over her shoulders before she got to her feet. Neither Glenn nor Maggie brought attention to her and she took the opportunity to discreetly walk out of the unit. Maybe it was better to leave them alone and give them the privacy they rarely had.

Elena walked out into the hall, deciding where she would possibly think to go. She thought about taking a walk along the halls, but when she saw a small tinge of light at her left her legs began to move on their own accord. She skipped past the unit beside Glenn and Maggie's—which had been stored with too many heavy worthless objects that the men decided to leave it be—and continued toward the unit where the light was coming from.

She knocked first against the brick wall before stepping toward the opened door to the unit. At her presence, Daryl lifted his head slightly that he had rested against his folded arms, his left leg arching when he rested his heel against the concrete beneath him. He looked at her questionably, the light from the lantern illuminating the subtlety of alarm on his face.

"Hey, um, do you mind if I spend the night here?" she asked quietly. "I mean, unless you rather be alone…" Elena trailed off, chewing at her bottom lip.

She knew Daryl liked his space and he seldom got it. She didn't want to burden him, knowing very well why he set a distance between the two of them in the first place. If he turned her away, Elena couldn't much blame him, and maybe that was for the best. But still, a part of her hoped he wouldn't.

"Naw," Daryl finally said, shaking his head before gesturing for her to come in.

Elena's lips curved and she entered inside the unit. Half of the storage was still left inside, mostly cardboard boxes of objects that were piled and set back in the corners. Daryl laid on one side, the poncho she had given him used as a makeshift pillow, his crossbow at arm's length beside his bag that had been sprawled over with his leather vest he normally wore.

He watched her as she sat herself, particularly a couple of paces away. "What happened with Glenn and Maggie?"

"Nothing, just…" She sighed. "Y'know how those two get. I kinda felt like a third wheel being in there with them."

Daryl didn't say anything and Elena rested back, staring up into the ceiling of the unit thoughtfully. She listened to his steady breathing as she wrapped the blanket tighter around her.

"Can I be honest with you about something?"

Daryl took a moment to answer. "Go 'head."

"I don't know what it is, if it's sub-conscious or whatever," she began and licked her lips. "But I find I…fall asleep easier when you're close by." She shrugged. "Maybe I feel safe, I dunno."

She heard him exhale a long breath and Elena brought her eyes toward him. He was still watching her, the back of his head nestled over his folded arms, his face angled toward her. Daryl's eyes softened, the corner of his lips twitching at the slightest and Elena realized then how much she missed seeing his rare smile. There had been too much going on in the past weeks, with Daryl revealing his past, with Don and Natasha, with the assumed pregnancy, that it weighed on them personally and as a couple.

Maybe all she had to be was patient for things to return to how they use to be, even with the abstinence. Patient and hopeful.

"Goodnight, Daryl," Elena whispered before turning on her side and closing her eyes.

Daryl's reply was barely audible. "G'night."

* * *

Daryl had always been a light sleeper, ever since he was a kid—every crack, every step jerking him awake. It was that nervous anxiety created by his father, that fighting instinct to be alarmed at any sound and movement. He was use to it by now; even found it useful with the lifestyle he was dealt with in the months the plague started. He would be able to hear anything, whether it be the staggering feet of a walker or the slow calculated steps of a stranger. He'd never be caught off guard because of it.

That night, it was the rustling that woke him and the series of heaving breaths. Daryl blinked, sitting himself up and narrowing his eyes in the faint light he kept on from the lantern beside him. He did it as a precaution, provided that he needed to equip and ready himself quickly without having to stumble in the darkness if something happened. For a moment, his hand reached for his crossbow as he scanned his eyes and perked his ears. But he stopped.

The rustling was coming from the bundle a few paces beside him. He could see the bundle tremble underneath the fabric of the cotton blanket and the fast breaths that came from it.

Daryl rubbed the strain in his eyes, pulling himself onto his knees. He looked back over at Elena. The blanket was wrapped tight around her, her eyes pinched shut and her face twisted with strife. Her body was shaking, chilled by the cold air that seeped in the storage units from outside. Daryl turned then, grabbed his creased poncho. He stood, walking the few paces toward her and bent at her side before straightening out the folds of his poncho in hand. He stared at her for a second, his brows furrowed, questioning whether the shaking was caused by the temperature at all.

Elena was fast asleep but her eyelids twitched, her lips parted and taking in thick unsettling breaths. He had seen this before, one night when they were sleeping in the Dodge pickup. The sight was nearly identical, from the heavy breathing to the small muscle spasms that Daryl knew exactly what was happening.

Slowly, he laid his poncho over top of her. But as gentle as he tried to be, Elena jerked and her eyes shot open with panic. She struggled for second with the blanket wrapped tight around her, her sight elsewhere as the shaking of her body got worse and her breathing came quicker.

"Hey, hey, hey," Daryl said quickly, grabbing her when she tried to sit up. "Easy."

Elena blinked, her eyes focusing in toward his face. "Daryl?" She inhaled a large intake of breath, averting her sights to her sides, recognition attacking her senses. She sighed afterwards, closing her eyes and brought a hand to her face.

Daryl stayed still, narrowing his gaze consciously as she sniffed and roughly rubbed her eyes, the horrors of the nightmare she woke up from still evident on her face.

"I'm sorry…did I wake you?"

"No," he lied.

Elena swallowed hard, her expression haunted as she avoided his gaze. "These damn dreams just don't stop."

"Same one?" Daryl asked. Elena had spoken to him before of a recurring dream she had of Don and his little girl; one that she said had invaded her nights too many times already.

Elena shook her head. "No—No, it was different."

Daryl moved, twisting himself so that he was sitting beside her. "What about?"

She closed her eyes, resting her forehead against her knees she drew toward her chest. "The one…" She inhaled sharply. "The one about you."

Daryl exhaled at that. He looked away from her. "Ya worry too much, that's why ya dream 'bout this shit."

"I guess so…"

Her reply was noncommittal and Daryl sighed, chewing the inside of his cheek. He made a decision then, adjusting himself beside her and rested on his back into a similar position before with his arms folded behind his head. He closed his eyes.

"Get some sleep, alright?" he told her.

He heard Elena shift after a moment before he heard her lie back down and let out a gentle sigh. He could feel her warmth beside him, her body barely touching his and Daryl grew suddenly nervous at being so close and in intimate proximity of her. He slightly opened his eyes and tilted his head toward her. She was curled at his side, the cotton blanket wrapped around her entire frame and his poncho laid over her torso, her face nuzzled in it. Her eyes were closed again and Daryl tried to take even breaths. His decision to sleep beside her was a conscious act made from her statement earlier, about her being able to fall asleep because she felt safe beside him. He did it so she'd feel comfortable, but now he wondered if it was a good decision at all.

His mind wandered for a second—which was all that he allowed—as thoughts flooded his mind. He had the sudden urge to hold her, to give her that security she needed so she could have peaceful rest. He had the sudden urge to brush his lips against her soft skin, to ease the tension in her muscles. He had the sudden urge to take her and make her forget any worry that clouded that mind of hers.

Daryl swallowed, averting his eyes back toward the ceiling of the unit, tightening his head hard against his arms. He tried to clear his mind then, tried not to think about her, tried not to think how close she was and the fact that they were alone and had no chance of being bothered until morning.

He closed his eyes, listening to the storm that shook the building and Elena's steady breathing as she fell back to sleep. He tried to follow her example.

* * *

The next morning, Elena woke up alone. She was curled up on her side, the space that had been occupied by Daryl beside her empty. She stared at it for a moment, admittedly disappointed. She wanted that satisfaction of waking up beside him, knowing that he was still there for her in case she woke up from another nightmare. Of course after the one she had last night—which had been the redundant familiar dream of Daryl as a walker—she was able to fall back asleep without waking again. Having him lying down nearby gave her that sensation of security and maybe that was the reason she was able to fall back asleep shortly after. It was a nice change from having to deal with the nightmares alone and being afraid to fall back asleep knowing they'd return again. And maybe Daryl was right; her problem in worrying about things more than what was healthy could be the reason why these nightmares hadn't stopped haunting her at night.

Elena yawned, curious to know what time it was and how long ago Daryl had left. Judging by the whistles she could hear above, the storm was still ongoing outside. She thought about getting up and getting her day started but leaving the warmth of both her blanket and the softness of Daryl's poncho became a notion that wasn't exactly favourable. She laid there for a moment longer, burying her face in the poncho, which satisfyingly smelled exactly like him, until she heard silent laughter in the halls.

She got up then, uncoiling herself from the fabric, shivering in the open air. Elena folded up Daryl's poncho, turning and deciding to leave it by Daryl's bag that had been left in the unit. She thought about taking her blanket with her, wondering if last night was the only night she was going to spend here. Elena chewed on her bottom lip thoughtfully before resting her blanket down and making the decision to leave it until later.

Making her way out into the halls, she followed the voices to the other units, stretching out the kinks in her back and arms as she did so.

"There you are."

Elena blinked at Lori's sudden announcement as she lifted her eyes to her from the unit she had spent the night with Carol and Carl.

"Good morning," Elena replied in return.

Carol smiled from her position beside Lori. "Maggie and Glenn were worried. They said they woke up this morning and you were missing."

"Sorry, I guess I should've said something. I couldn't sleep last night."

Lori grinned at her, her eyes suddenly curious. "Daryl explained that. He said you fell asleep and spent the night in his unit."

Elena flushed, unaware whether it was by Lori's bold statement or the way she was looking at her. She cleared her throat then. "Where is everybody anyway?"

"Rick wanted to get things started in cleaning out this place for supplies. Daryl left you to get a few extra hours of sleep, saying that you had a rough night," Carol explained. "How are you feeling?"

"Better." Elena shrugged. "I woke up once which is kinda normal."

"Good. We saved some breakfast for you. Rick wants you to help out afterwards."

Elena nodded her head as Lori prepared her a plate.

Shortly after, Elena left Carol and Lori who were adapting the living space to be homier for the group, which was a good idea if they were to stay here longer than a week because of the storm. Elena had her backpack over her shoulder, empty of her belongings and a flashlight in hand as she made her way through the halls of the storage units. The further she went into the large expansion of the building, the more she could hear the others, the voices echoing against the walls. Some of the storage units she passed had already been opened and looted, the others seemingly making their way down the line of units and rummaging through them one after the other.

Elena thought about turning the corner, where she could hear Hershel and Glenn, instructing each other about moving something she couldn't quite grasp, probably some furniture. But a thought made her linger on her step, made her altogether hesitate. This thought had been left to the back of her mind since she suggested they plan their travels to Pearson Self-Storage, a thought that hadn't been forgotten but had been waiting to be brought into her attention again.

She chewed on her lip, looking back where Glenn's voice was coming from, but she didn't follow it. She continued down the hall.

Elena couldn't specifically remember where it was or what number it was under, but she followed her instincts in the direction she still had in memory. She remembered it was on the left side, where the units were numbered in the triple digits. Was it 156 or 158? She sighed, unable to recollect the number. Visually, she was good at remembering things, where it came to directions and faces, but remembering numbers was something Elena sucked at.

When she got to the units labelled in the 150's, she slowed her steps, groping within the nostalgia part of her mind. Her first guess had been 156, so Elena supposed that she should start there. She held the crowbar tight in her hand, standing in front of the unit and swung the tool hard against the padlock that held the door closed. It gave in after four hits and Elena kicked the lock aside and reached for the door, lifting it open.

It wasn't the right one. This unit was practically empty with an exception of boxed containers and the dismantled parts of what use to be a buck bed. Elena decided to move on.

She went through three more units, each dimming her chances of finding what she was looking for that she had to stand back and think. She was sure it was in the 150's, but she couldn't damn remember what the last digit was. Elena scanned her eyes momentarily, shifting the light from her flashlight toward the unit labelled 154. She looked toward it thoughtfully, until recognition hit her senses.

Stepping in front of the unit, she lent forward and narrowed her eyes, bringing her fingers toward the small dent at the side of the door, a memory striking her vision.

_"I got it, Amelia."_

_"Let's wait until Toni gets back."_

_"It really isn't that heavy."_

_"Elena, dammit. At least watch where you're carrying that thing. It's not cheap."_

_"Yeah, yeah, whatever—ah, shit."_

_"I told you!"_

_"Relax, I damaged the door more than anything."_

Elena inhaled a shaky breath, remembering the look her sister had given her when she accidently hit the corner of her mahogany table that was still packed in the box against the aluminum door to her unit. The dent was still there just as she had left it.

Since coming back to Pearson Self-Storage Elena had the curious need to find Toni's and Amelia's old storage unit. Part of her didn't understand why, considering all that would be in there was wrapped furniture. But part of her wanted to reminisce in the past, to look over something that use to be her sister's and brother-in-law's. It was a strange need; one that Elena wasn't entirely sure why she had. Maybe it was because she hadn't had the time to miss or think of them with her being constantly busy on her feet. Or maybe she just wanted to take the time to relish in the memories of them, which she hadn't done in a long time. Whatever it was, it took a while before Elena had the nerve to break the padlock and lift the door.

The interior of the unit was as she had expected it being. The black leather couch wrapped in plastic she had helped Toni push in was still there, the mahogany table lent against it just where she had left it, the stack of cardboard boxes labelled kitchen supplies and electronics still stacked accordingly to size, the glass coffee table her mother had bought Amelia was still laid flat on the floor beside the boxed display case that Elena bought Toni for his toy model automobile collection… Everything was still there.

Elena stepped in the packed space, old memories suddenly crowding her head. She felt a looming presence over her that she recognized as loss, and she wondered if returning here was such a good idea.

Absently, she gazed toward each box, catching sight of ones that she didn't remember helping them pack in. It was just a couple of boxes, one labelled House Ware and the other above it without a label. One flap of the cardboard of the box was left open and curiosity forced her to step forward. Elena bent, narrowing her eyes into the darkness of the box. She opened the other flap before aiming the light of her flashlight in.

And it was then, as her eyes widened slightly and her mouth slightly gaped open, did she catch sight of something that she thought she'd never see again.


	28. Chapter 28

**God, this chapter took an eternity. I had my first case of writer's block for this story and it resulted in many written scenes that were deleted and changed for this one chapter. I think it's because now that I have the group in a temporary shelter and things are settling down I kinda had no idea where to lead the story to. But, I overcame that damn writer's block, and I'm happy where this chapter ended. Even the beginning of the chapter was a last minute decision and I had fun writing it. I wanted to address the sexual tension between Daryl and Elena here, but that's going to be pushed to the next chapter. This one is kind of an emotional step for the both of them. Hope you guys like, I watched repeated episodes of the Walking Dead to be inspired to write this one lol. Yes, I have no life.**

**Thank you guys for reviews, favouriting and following. Awesome devotion from you people, you guys are great! :)**

**I take no credit for characters with an exception to my OC's.**

* * *

_"They could be National Guard, with high powered rifles like that? Hell, their trucks are completely stocked."_

_"Have you lost your mind? They're wearing civvies! You must be goddamn blind."_

_"Better watch yer mouth, boy. Last I checked you ain't our king shit."_

_"Clearly, I'm the only sonofabitch here even _thinking_."_

_"Toni, calm down."_

_Elena watched as Amelia spoke softly beside him, placing her slender hand on his thick arm. She could see the tension in his muscles, his hands curled into fists and knuckles white, the vein on his forehead that seemed to protrude when he was angry. She could feel her head going hot at the tension between Toni and Joseph, both men facing one another with feral intent._

_The discussion started in their decent to find the interstate. The group had found their way into rural Georgia, which had been a hell of a lot safer than being in the cities. Toni had been leading them through the routes in order to find the highway so they could head south of Georgia in order to beat the winter, but something had obstructed their path. They were low on food and being in rural Georgia, finding houses and shops to loot was nearly a scavenging hunt. Actually, it was literally a scavenging hunt. They hadn't had much luck. Not until one of them discovered the two pickup trucks that were filled to the brim of boxes stamped with FOOD CHARITY on the side. It was more supplies than they had seen for a long time, however, if something was too good to be true than it usually was._

_Shortly after discovering the trucks in the distance, other survivors had emerged from the gas station they were currently parked at. Four normal looking men that were armed with lethal artillery you'd see on army personnel. Considering the group was admittedly desperate for food, the subject about whether they approached the men came into question._

_They had been going at it for a couple of minutes and already the conversation had escalated far beyond a debate that Elena kept her eyes peered for any advances that could result in a fist fight. She hadn't seen Toni this angry in a long time and it seemed to her that Joseph Peterson was just trying to get a rise out of him. Of course, Toni was ten years his senior and may have been less experienced with life than Joseph proudly was, but at a time like this Elena didn't believe age of authority really applied. However, Joseph always thought differently._

_It had been a month since he joined the group with his wife, Anna, and since then he had been trying to call the shots thinking he knew what was best for the group. Elena wondered if his hatred toward the U.S. military—which he made abundantly clear on occasion, saying that it was their fault this infection had gotten this far—was the reason why he always tried to butt heads with her brother-in-law. If that was so, she couldn't believe how a man his age was being unbelievably immature over the whole situation. Who they were didn't matter now, not since the dead started to walk the earth._

_"Honestly, man, you are so damn single-minded. Why should we even listen to you?" Danny said._

_Danny Brooks was probably a few years younger than Joseph and had since been timid. Him and his girlfriend, Nancy had been with them almost from the very beginning, when the world had gone to shit. Back when it was just the five of them, Danny always followed Toni's lead, more frightened of what the world had become that he didn't trust to make rational choices himself. But ever since Joseph joined the group, it was as if he shifted his loyalty to the next alpha male, agreeing with Joseph's argument every time he had one, just like a lap dog._

_"The world ended, you ain't a soldier no more. Your rank don't mean shit."_

_Toni glared at him, his squared jaw clenched. "My experience as a soldier saved your worthless ass, or did you forget?"_

_"Yeah, I bet friendly fire in the middle-east and 'accidently' killin' unarmed civilians gave you a whole lotta experience," Joseph said in a snide tone. "Bet you're havin' a field day now with all them corpses walkin' around. Feelin' right at home, aren't ya?"_

_"What the hell do you know, huh? You ignorant sonofabitch!"_

_"Toni, enough!" Amelia suddenly shouted and gripped his arm tightly._

_Toni ceased his advance toward the older man, his eyes terse on him. Joseph lifted his chin, a defiant smile creasing his lips._

_"Honey, c'mon." Amelia's voice came out softer this time as she tugged on his arm._

_In that moment, Toni relented before allowing his fiancé to pull him away from the discussion before it had gotten a hell of a lot worse. Elena followed after, giving Joseph a distasteful look just before doing so. What agitated her more though was the silence coming from both Nancy and Anna, who neither said a word about their men going overboard in the conversation. Amelia appeared to be the only one who obviously had the courage to stop it before it evolved into a physical altercation and although they didn't get along, that was something Elena admired about her._

_"They don't know what the hell they're doing," Toni began when they walked a few paces away from the others. "We don't know who the hell those guys are."_

_"I know, honey, but we are down to our last few cans of food," Amelia replied. "We have been through several houses and haven't found anything. I'm not saying Joseph is right, but maybe we could talk to those men, maybe they can spare us something."_

_Toni closed his eyes then and blew a long breath. "Amelia, those men are not National Guard. They're not cops, they're not soldiers. They are strangers packing serious heat. You really think they're gonna spare us shit?"_

_Elena chimed in. "There's only four of them and seven of us," she tried to reassure._

_"And only one of us that have been trained to use a goddamn gun!"_

_"Toni, listen to me." Amelia placed either hand on his cheeks, facing his eyes back on her, her stare unyielding. "You do not have to make all the choices all the time."_

_"Yes I do."_

_"No, you don't. You keep pushing yourself and take all responsibility. Honey, you've brought us so far and protected all us. You need a break."_

_Conflict can be seen in Toni's eyes, but he didn't say a word._

_"Please, just stand down on this one, okay? Let the others make the call. You've done enough for us."_

_Elena shifted her eyes back to Toni. He watched Amelia for a moment longer, his brow wrinkling with inner turmoil. Then he swallowed and lowered his head._

_"Okay," he whispered. "Okay."_

_Amelia smiled, pressing her lips against the top of his head. He sighed, his tense shoulders relaxing. Elena always found it amazing how her sister could easily soften Toni up, like she was his kryptonite._

_"Joseph is gonna really love being the lead on this one," Elena remarked._

_"Asshole has been itching to take lead since he joined us," Toni replied. "Let him."_

_ It was true, and maybe him taking lead just this once would loosen the tension in the entire group. Maybe they disagreed in a lot of things, but Elena still saw the others as friends, people that have worked equally in getting through this disaster. Still, Elena didn't know what to think about the armed strangers. A part of her wanted to believe that they were good people, people who were just trying to survive like them. And a part of her couldn't help be as skeptical as Toni was._

_When Toni and Amelia made a move to return back to the others, Elena felt the sudden need to relieve her bladder. She hadn't had a chance to do so earlier, not when they discovered the four men with their two stock piled pickup trucks. Even the argument between the group about confronting them had steered her mind into a tangent._

_"Hey, guys, I'm just gonna be a minute," she announced. "Nature calls."_

_Amelia cocked a brow at her. "Why didn't you go before?"_

_"I'm sorry," she said, her voice sarcastic. "More pressing matters were in the way."_

_"Be quick," Toni replied. "Make sure you got that crowbar with you. We're gonna go ahead and talk to the men."_

_Elena nodded her head obediently. She lowered the duffel bag she had over her shoulder, unzipping it and taking her crowbar out. Afterwards, she headed off toward the thicket a little ways away. She gazed around momentarily, staring long and hard to her surroundings. Those things, dead people, walking corpses—whatever you call them—may be slow, but they were quiet and the last thing she wanted was to let her guard down. When she thought she was safe for the time being, she went ahead to get the human necessities out of the way quick so she had time to hear the negotiation that was about to take place with the strangers. Elena may not have been leader, or even second in command, but she still wanted to be there as support._

_Buttoning back her pants, Elena threw the duffel back over her shoulder._

BANG.

_Elena jumped on reflex as the loud boom assaulted her ears. It was so loudly sudden, sounding like a firecracker, but she wasn't stupid. She knew that couldn't be it; there were no intricate colours of lights in the sky from a man made explosion. This was something uglier, something a lot worse._

_She shot her eyes over the hedge of bushes she had been behind and instinctively she ducked. It had been her first reaction, followed by her heart thundering violently in her chest at the sight she saw. She peered through the bushes, her breathing harsh in her ears and her eyes wide._

_Joseph was down on the ground. From a distance, Elena couldn't tell if he was alive or not, but judging by the awkward position he laid, with one arm folded unnaturally behind his back, the latter was an assumption that may have hit right home. She knew this also when the explosion of a gunshot was just intro to the chorus of screaming, both male and female._

_Anna was on her knees by Joseph's side, incoherently yelling out words that were barely understandable. Nancy was crying her lungs out, gripping onto Danny tightly who stood stock frozen._

_"Put yer gun down. I ain't gonna tell you again."_

_Elena didn't recognize the voice, but distinctly she could see it coming from one of the strangers that they discovered barely moments ago. His arm was raised outright in front of him, his hand aimed ahead. She knew now the black object in his hand was a pistol, the same pistol he had just fired._

_All of a sudden she heard profanities, followed by heavy authoritative demands. They were coming from Toni, whose thick arms held tight his Mossberg 500 shotgun straight toward the stranger. Amelia was shielded behind him and unnervingly quiet._

_Elena placed her hand on the dry ground beneath her, unable to keep her balance as she sat on her heels, both frozen and frightened at the scene in front of her. It was nothing she'd ever seen before. Well, to be fair, in the past couple of months, there was a lot she hadn't seen before, but this was different. It was straight out of a movie. Armed antagonists waving their guns around like they owned the place, taunting and throwing out orders toward the almost defenceless group of protagonists. Elena could barely hear what was being said between the antagonist leader and Toni, but judging by their body language it was nothing good._

_Then she saw movement coming from either side at the current stand down and Elena thought she felt her heart beat faster. Men, of all shapes and sizes began to materialize, each loaded with firearms that she had no way of labeling. Elena counted as they appeared._

_Eight…nine…ten…eleven…_

Holy shit_. It was like a small army._

_All of them were armed to the teeth, making their advances toward Toni, Amelia, Danny, Anna and Nancy. Toni was still shouting as he cocked his shotgun, switching his aim toward many of the individuals who appeared to be laughing. _Laughing_. Who the hell were these guys?_

_Elena heard something then, almost like a shriek. She didn't know where it was coming from, but the next thing she knew, rounds of gunfire were popping over the voices._

_Danny had his snubbed nose revolver in his hand, popping off rounds toward the men, each shot going off randomly. Elena then heard the booming blast of Toni's shotgun, and after that it was just a never ending chaos of bullets flying. By now, her heart was pounding deafeningly in her ears that she barely could hear the gunfire ahead as the blood rushing to her brain ran cold._

_Some of the men were going down, but not many. She then saw Danny flinch and hit the pavement. Nancy was screaming beside him, but it couldn't be heard over the gunfire. She grabbed his revolver from him, pointing it outward when she revolted three times, a mist of blood at each shot. She dropped._

_"Oh God…oh God…oh God…" Elena couldn't recognize her own voice over the massacre, so creased with so many emotions that she could only identify a few. Confusion, revulsion, terror…_

_Her legs began to shake underneath her._

_And then, there was silence of gunfire as one of the strangers managed to tackle Toni hard on the ground, wrestling his Mossberg from his hands. Bloody hits were thrown, Amelia running to his aid when another man came up behind, smacking her to the ground. She slammed to the pavement none too gently, but lifted herself back to her knees until a pistol was pressed to the back of her head. She didn't move any further._

_"I will blow her goddamn head off! You understand me, son?"_

_Toni stopped fighting, his body seemingly stiff as one of the men ripped his shotgun from his hand and pulled up his comrade who had just been wrestling on the ground with him._

_"Don't hurt her. Take me…take me instead. Let her go."_

_"Why should I let this bitch go?"_

_"She didn't do anything. For godsakes, _I _killed your men. Me—you sonofabitch, just let her goddamn go!"_

_There was a long pause and Elena held her breath, her nails digging deep into the dirt under her feet._

_"Naw, I got somethin' she can do for me."_

_Toni didn't reply right away, his body tense, and it gave the men the opportunity to take chance in his vulnerability. The man holding his shotgun slammed the stock hard against the side of his head. But when he went down, he didn't stay down. Toni began to move in a robotic way as he pulled himself back up, but the man instantly threw his steel toe against his ribs._

_"Toni—," Amelia attempted to shout but was immediately cut off when the pistol-wielder gripped tight her dark curls. Amelia was thrown on her back, clawing at the man's grip as he pulled her. She screamed, calling out Toni's name._

_Three men retained Toni and he immediately began thrashing around, hitting one of the men in the process, but they kept a firm hold on him._

_"You worthless redneck pieces of shit! If you hurt her I'll kill you! I'll kill you!" Toni's voice boomed, raspy and hoarse from the volume. "Amelia!"_

_Elena heard another shriek again and she shot her eyes over to Anna who had still been crying by Joseph's corpse. One of the men grabbed her, pulling her along after the men that dragged both Amelia and Toni. Others then went to where Danny laid pulling him up by the arms and dragging him also. Elena had the eerie feeling that he was still—but barely—alive._

_Her fingers were numb now, digging into the dry dirt. Elena's whole body felt numb. She couldn't blink, she couldn't think, she couldn't breathe, she couldn't stop her heart that was pounding fiercely in her head. She couldn't move._

_Everything, all of it, happened no less than a couple of minutes, and yet she felt like she had watched the horror for hours. What the hell should she do?_

_First decision was to see whether she could stand back on her feet. Elena pulled her fingers out of the dirt and flattened her palms to ground to boost herself up, but she froze._

_Footsteps could be heard close by._

_"Look through the bushes! There was another lil' bird with 'em, I know I saw her. Bitch gotta be hidin' here somewhere."_

_Her legs were numb, her heart still rapidly thundering, but Elena managed to turn and run._

* * *

Daryl could still smell the awful stench of decay, the scent lingering in both his nostrils and his head.

It had taken a couple of hours to get all the bodies moved out to the back of the building where'd they burn them at nightfall, where the smoke from the fire wouldn't be seen from a distance. Daryl had a strong stomach, certainly stronger than T-Dog who had to take short breaks to stop himself from gagging at the odor that seemed to accumulate and mold into the unit. Even so, he was glad that job was over and he finally had room to breathe.

Majority of the bodies had been sitting there for a long time, months even; some of them cleaner from wounds than others. Thoughts invaded his mind at moments, as he pulled the bodies through the back door with Rick if all these corpses had even died as walkers. The bodies were dressed up mostly in civilian attire, but there had been some instances where he saw uniformed corpses stitched with the Pearson Self-Storage logo. Evidence like this suggested that there may had been more survivors here than the security guards, but Daryl thought it pointless to dabble in such ideas.

After they had thrown the last body outside, Rick instructed that they get on with plundering the units spoils considering there was a lot left to be scavenged. Hershel, Beth, Carl, Glenn and Maggie had already gone on and had looked through several for the morning. Daryl decided then to return to the units they were currently occupying to check up on Elena, to see whether she was awake or not.

He had left her in the early morning, mostly because he didn't have the heart to wake her. She actually looked so at peace. No muscle spasms, no rapid breathing, no unsettling shivering. Just peaceful, which, with the rough nights like hers, she uncommonly had. Daryl let her get the extra hours of sleep, even if it meant awkwardly explaining to the others where she was when Maggie and Glenn had caused a panic about her missing from their unit. Daryl had tried to be nonchalant about it, explaining that she couldn't sleep so she spent the night in his. He didn't know how much their relationship was still under the radar. Carol knew, Glenn knew and because he had no guile, Daryl was sure Maggie knew also. Rick had given off hints about knowing too, but the others had been almost awestruck when he told them where Elena had been missing off to. It didn't necessarily matter anymore whether the group had knowledge about Daryl and Elena, but the curiosity in everyone's stare was enough to annoy him.

Daryl left T-Dog and Rick to help with the scavenging. With his flashlight in one hand and his crossbow on his shoulder, he took his leisure back through the middle hall where he could make a right toward the exit where their units were, but he stopped at mid-step, catching something white in his peripheral. Daryl turned his eyes down the hall. He could see light a little ways ahead, pouring from one of the units. He narrowed his eyes and followed it.

The closer he stepped toward the light, the more he was able to see it was slightly moving, giving him the foresight to know it was coming from a flashlight. He made his way over, his own flashlight illuminating the space in front of him. For a moment, he aimed it above, the light reflecting off the nailed down 154 above the unit. He tilted his head in through the opened door.

There he found Elena, sitting down on the cold concrete with her back lent against large cardboard boxes of new furniture. Her face was angled down, her eyes concentrating intently on something on her lap.

Daryl stepped inside the unit. "Whatcha doin' in here?"

Elena shot her head up, as if broken from a mental stupor. She stared at him quickly before averting her eyes. She began rubbing them quickly as she drew in a nasally sharp breath that could only be described as a sniffle. Daryl furrowed his brow, intentionally aiming his flashlight into her face to get a better look at her. Her eyes were glossy and a little red.

"Hey, sorry I didn't hear you coming down the hall," she said.

Daryl moved his eyes passed her, illuminating the corners of the unit. "Find somethin' useful in here?"

"Oh, no, this was um…" She inhaled again, her breath a lot steadier. "This was Toni's and my sister's old unit."

Daryl brought his eyes back to her. She gave him a small smile, fidgeting with something in her hands. He lowered his eyes to it and Elena followed his gaze. It was then that Daryl realized the object that she had laid over her lap was a book.

"Whatcha got there?" he asked, taking another step closer.

Elena kept her eyes firmly on the book, her vision seemingly faraway. "A photo album. Something I guess my sister was putting together that she left and hadn't finished."

Daryl gazed back down over her lap where the album was sprawled open, loose piles of photographs on the surface.

"I almost forgot what Toni and her looked like…"

Daryl stilled for a moment, watching her. Her voice was thick with a wave of emotion that he hadn't heard in a while. The unit filled with awkward silence that Daryl didn't know what more to say.

But Elena shook her head, swallowing hard and sighed. She lifted her eyes again and met his. They were hidden with grief. "Were you looking for me?"

"Yeah," Daryl answered simply and watched her carefully.

She nodded her head, scrambling back onto her feet. "I guess I lost track of time—damnit." As soon as she spoke, standing back onto her feet, the photographs slipped from the album, sprawling over the floor.

Elena bent, quickly retrieving them. Daryl could see the trembling of her hands, confusing him before he bent down with her. Momentarily, he scanned his eyes over th pictures of a man he distinctly recognized and a woman he'd never seen before. Daryl brought his fingers to gather a couple of photographs for Elena who had been quickly filing them back into the photo album. His eyes averted for a second, then he suddenly did a double take. He sat on his heels frozen, his hand reaching automatically as his fingers pinched the corner of a single photograph. He lifted it from the cold concrete closer to his view.

Elena picked up the last few pictures from the ground, placing them back into the album. She gazed around for a second to see if she missed anything, when she realized Daryl was holding one. She lifted her palm up for it, but Daryl's hesitated. He concentrated intently on the photograph, his brows wrinkled and eyes narrowed.

Elena parted her lips to ask him what was wrong, but he suddenly looked up at her. His gaze changed from the calm state he had been in to quick irritation. Her brows rose in bewilderment and he finally handed her the photograph. Elena couldn't help let her curiosity flare, and she looked down at the picture, wondering what had caught his severe attention.

It took barely a second for Elena to understand Daryl's change of expression, the corners of her lips lowering.

"I can't believe Amelia kept this…," she whispered, her voice so low she barely heard it in her own ears.

"You done here?" Daryl asked quickly, his voice loud as he stood. "We're gonna need a hand, ain't got time lookin' at pictures."

Elena returned her gaze on him. He stood with his back partially facing her, his shoulders tense. "Yeah, sorry," she apologized. "Just give me a second to put this away."

Daryl didn't say a word, just looked back at her quickly, a small sense of ire held in his eyes before he walked out of the unit, leaving her.

For a moment, Elena didn't move, her body slowly running cold. Her eyes drifted back down to the palm of her hand, the image of the photograph slowly burning into her mind.

It was an old picture, taken several years ago, but Elena remembered that day, remembered how happy she had been and it reflected the smile she had in the picture. She was younger, her lips pulled back from a white smile. But it was the person beside her that caught her attention; it was the person beside her that she was sure caused Daryl's quick irritation. In the picture, a boy held her tight against him, his lips curved in a lopsided grin, his green eyes bright and soft.

It was Nathan McClane.

* * *

"Look who finally decided to show up."

Elena was only able to manage a small grin at T-Dog's announcement. After Daryl had left her, Elena had taken her time to set the photo album back where she had found it. But she didn't have the heart to do it. Something like that, as materialistic as it was, was now as valuable as gold. She hadn't had the time to look through all the photos, but diving back and reminiscing in the memories was almost like a drug. A high where everything else in the world didn't matter, not starvation, not the cold, not the walkers, not death. Nothing.

Luck hadn't been on her side for a long time, but she began to think maybe it was biding its time to give her something like this. Maybe it was fate to return to Pearson Self-Storage, to find Toni and Amelia's old unit and to find the photo album. Maybe it was just pure luck. Whatever it was, it had filled her with a zeal and yet the devouring sensation of loss. Seeing Toni and Amelia's faces within happier times returned the emotional heartache and memories of how she lost them. The tears had come to her instantaneously; however, she didn't have the strength or willpower to put down the album. She didn't even have the strength to put it back in the box where she had found it.

"Sorry I took so long," she said.

"Did ya just wake up?" T-Dog asked. "Makes me wonder what Daryl and you were doing last night to make you sleep in."

Elena felt her face grow hot and she tried to keep her composure, reminding herself that nothing had happened between her and Daryl last night and she had no reason to be embarrassed. However, the look T-Dog was giving her, both teasing and curious, was making her grow nervous.

"Keep wondering," she told him.

"Don' listen to him," Maggie remarked as she stepped outside one of the units. "He's just nosy."

T-Dog let out a heart filled laugh. "_C'mon_, man. When you got Daryl Dixon tellin' you that Elena spent the night in his unit, you're gonna want some answers."

Elena rolled her eyes. "Since when have you been so concerned about gossip?"

"I ain't," he replied. "Why you bein' so defensive, hm?"

"I'm not."

"_Damn_, you are such a bad liar."

Elena waved him off. "Believe what you want, T."

He laughed again. "It's all good, answer is written all over your face anyway."

Elena shook her head, already accustomed to T-Dog badgering her when he was curious about something. Normally she'd ignore him, but him pressing for answers on something that was entirely true made her suddenly shift uncomfortably on her step.

Without another word, T-Dog returned back to scouring the units he currently resided in, throwing out boxes of unnecessary objects to the side. Elena promptly entered inside the unit Maggie was in, just after she gazed up and down the halls.

"Where is everyone?"

"My dad, sister and Carl are lookin' through another hall. Glenn went with Rick and Daryl outside, somethin' about checkin' the perimeter, I dunno." Maggie shrugged and lifted her eyes to her. "I don' think Rick feels safe here."

Elena nodded slowly. "I guess I can understand, place is pretty open."

"But it's the biggest shelter we found in a long time." Maggie smiled. "An' with that storm blowin' through, it's the best place we could stay."

"It doesn't matter. Rick feels responsible for us, so he's gonna worry. Everyone else seems to be settling in fine."

"An' you?" Maggie inquired and gave her a small grin. "You stayin' in Daryl's unit now?"

Absently, Elena chewed on her bottom lip. "I'm not sure."

The thought had loitered in her mind since the morning, hovering more profoundly after Daryl's strange behaviour when he left her in Toni and Amelia's unit. Well, to be fair, it wasn't that strange. Elena knew where the irritation came from, the brash anger in his eyes that both stiffened his shoulders and heightened the harshness in his voice. It could have either been from the grievance he had for Nathan, after he presumably called him a 'red neck piece of shit' and 'inbred white trash'—two insults to his heritage that still made Elena wince just remembering them—or it could have been resentment for how close Nathan and her were.

Elena was modest enough to not assume the latter immediately, but she knew had the position been reversed, seeing a photo of Daryl looking so happy with another woman would have brought that jealousy forth. And she wasn't often a jealous person.

Plus, to add even more fuel to the fire, their sudden choice of abstinence and refusal of any initial affection was going to be highly tested sleeping in a unit together where they actually had some privacy.

"Trouble in paradise?" Maggie asked.

Elena shrugged one shoulder. "You could say that."

"Maybe y'all just hit a dry spell. It'll pass."

"Yeah," she replied and cleared her throat, already thinking of an aversion. "So, have you guys found anything useful in this place?"

"Mostly furniture. Glenn found some tools that are battery operated. Probably can find a hardware store and get some new batteries for 'em. Could use those for somethin', not sure what, but Glenn was sure we could use them. Dad and Beth found some clothes in garbage bags, but I don' know how desperate enough we are to wear those."

"We could wash them, get that stench of moth balls out and you might change your mind."

Maggie laughed lightly. "Maybe. Anyway, want to help me out here? Got a lot more units to search through. We probably won't be finished today, but at least we can get most of done."

"Sure thing," Elena replied and rolled back her sleeves.

* * *

The passing winds began to water Rick's eyes, forcing him to squint from the cold air. He ran his gloved hand through his hair, wet from both sweat and the snow coming down. Outside was a chaos of white, their vehicles buried in the snow along with the pavement beneath his feet.

The storm had become a mixture of both snow and ice, darkening the skies in shades of grey that Rick wondered how long it would be before they saw the sun again. That, however, wasn't much of a concern as was the security of the area. Rick, together with Daryl and Glenn, canvassed the perimeter, committing the entire location to memory for future reference. As empty as the area was, there was still a problem of guaranteed defense. The front gate had been torn down, not to mention parts of the chain-linked fence that stretched around the land. The security guards that once took shelter here had tried making a barricade with both rope and cable, but it had been obstructed before from possible stragglers.

Right now, Rick wasn't worried about walkers breaking down the barricade and entering the vicinity, not with the storm charging through. He was worried about the possibility of other survivors finding this place. It was true that they hadn't seen or even come across evidences of live human beings for a long time, not since the factory, but it didn't necessarily mean they weren't out there. It was a foolish self-assured assumption to think that they were the only survivors in Georgia.

As a precaution, Rick had Glenn and himself move the vehicles out back, away from view. Maybe it created a large vacancy sign for anyone that came across, but it also created the element of surprise for the group if needed. Rick had the set of keys for the entire area to lock down the building. That may not stop other survivors from entering, but it would give the group time and a home advantage.

If they were to stay here for a maximum of seven days, easing down their vigilance wasn't a move Rick was going to let happen. He had spoken about a place like this, a safe haven, some place they could call home for a long time, but something inside was telling him this wasn't it. Even if they fortified the place, fixed the fences and gate, it was a long way from town where they would have to start making runs eventually. Their supply at the moment was gracious enough and with the freezing rain and snow they had enough water to last them weeks. But Rick knew this wouldn't be a permanent shelter, just something to get them through the storm, maybe—and this was only a sentimental statement—it could get them through the winter also.

"Except for the holes in the fences everything seems to be okay," Glenn said over the whining wind. "When are we gonna burn the bodies?"

"Tonight," Rick answered, "when it gets darker. I don't want the smoke to lead anyone or anythin' to us."

"Gonna be puttin' people on watch duty?" Daryl asked, pacing a couple of steps through the snow.

Glenn chimed in before Rick could reply. "Do we really need that? I mean, we got locks on the doors, not to mention it's freezing out here."

Daryl averted his eyes to Rick, who was thoughtful. "Can't risk lettin' our guard down, you know that. For now, we'll have shifts keeping guard by the entrance and the back exit until the storm calms down. Then we'll talk about havin' patrols outside."

Glenn sighed, but said nothing in disagreement.

"Should head back, help the others go through the left over units for supplies." Rick holstered his python, placing both hands on his hips.

Daryl scanned the area for a moment longer before taking the strap of his crossbow and shrugging it over his right shoulder. He turned then, following after Glenn who was already making his way to the front entrance. Daryl had to admit it was a hell of a lot nicer inside than it was out there.

Being out there in the storm almost reminded him of past winters in the mountains of Northern Georgia, where he use to live before things had gone to shit and he left with Merle to Atlanta. The winter didn't faze him much, Daryl was accustomed with hiking and hunting in shit climate before, but clearly the others weren't use to nature's aggression. If patrols were to be made outside, he'd take the job mostly to give him something to do.

Stepping through the entrance door, Daryl made his way down the hall, passing both Carol and Lori who appeared to be preparing lunch. He took his leisure toward his unit, shrugging his crossbow off his shoulder to unbutton his leather vest that was suddenly making him hot. He threw it aside overtop his bag before fixing his collar. Momentarily, his eyes drifted to his poncho that was folded neatly just by his backpack. Daryl chewed the inside of his cheek absently, averting his eyes to the opposite side.

Elena's blanket was still there, left in a heap on the concrete. He spotted something black rested on top and hesitantly, Daryl took a step toward it. In that instant, his eyes narrowed, recognizing the leather bound photo album. She didn't put it back like she said she would.

Almost immediately after did that image of the photo he picked from the floor of Elena and pretty boy returned back in memory, making Daryl clench his jaw. He wasn't sure at first if it really was that prick. Admittedly, Daryl had forgotten all about the sonofabitch, until the familiarity of that stupid grin of his ignited recognition. It was the same stupid grin he had on when he talked to Elena, that same stupid grin he kept when he had the balls to insult Daryl's background. Seeing the asshole in the photograph with Elena, looking happier than he'd ever seen her brought his anger forth. And that same anger suddenly slithered back in his limbs.

It shouldn't have considering they had a history and Daryl knew this. Even so, being aware of that with evidence shoved in his face couldn't exactly be ignored without some agitation added to the mix. Maybe it was just an immediate reaction because Daryl and Elena weren't on steady ground at the moment; maybe it was because he just loathed him. Whatever it was, it didn't matter. Pretty boy was far gone by now, and for all he knew, he could be dead.

Daryl turned away with a rough breath, deciding to leave the album where it was. However, he stilled at mid-step.

Daryl wasn't normally curious, he knew curiosity always led to trouble, a lesson he learned firsthand by his father when he was a kid. But this curiosity surged through his body, strong enough to cease his escape, strong enough to drift his eyes back to the photo album on the ground. He wanted to deny it; he wanted to ignore the need that coursed through his body. But as disinterested as he pretended he was, he wanted to know what other photographs of Elena were in there.

For a long minute, he hesitated on his step, chewing the inside of his cheek sub-consciously while his eyes still boar steadily at the album. But as much as his curiosity weighed on him, Daryl turned away and exited the unit quickly before he changed his mind.

* * *

That night, the group sat huddled in the hall illuminated by the battery operated lanterns for dinner. Rick and Daryl were out doing a final sweep of the area outside in the storm, before T-Dog took first watch by the back exit. Elena expected watch duty to continue even though they seemed to be well protected in the building. It was just that act of need that Rick held onto to feel the group was well protected and the place was secure. She had even offered to take watch for an hour also by the entrance so he didn't have to stay up the whole night like he usually did. A few hours of sleep never did Elena any good and she was sure the same could be said for their leader also.

Until then, Elena sat with the others. She kneed the back of her neck, hoping that would loosen the knots that coiled from a hard day's work of exploring through garbage.

Many of the units she had gone through that day were full of worthless junk and she was only able to dub it so after rummaging through the millions of cardboard boxes each had inside. Elena didn't realize until then how many meaningless things people held onto and stored for the sake of never going through the grief of throwing stuff away. And the best part of it, was that she had to do the whole scavenging task again tomorrow through the rest of the units.

"Wow, you two don't really look like sisters," Carl suddenly said.

Elena stilled her hand on her neck and opened her eyes, averting them to Rick's son that sat close beside her. He had one of the photographs from the pile of many she had found earlier, this one of Amelia and Toni.

Since majority of their meals together were always brimming about the weather and the plan of survival, Elena thought a new change in pace was in order. There wasn't much they had for entertainment purposes, so she thought that her revealing the discovery of photographs of her past was enough. Of course, most of the photos were of Amelia and or Toni considering it was Amelia's collection to be put in an album, but there was a few in there with her when she was younger to the most recent one taken. And, not to forget there was that one of her and Nathan, but she left that one out from the others.

Her mind went back to Daryl's expression when he saw that photo and she thought about talking to him about it. However, that decision was immediately rendered pointless. Daryl knew they had a history, and grinding against that knowledge wasn't going to make matters better. Plus, getting Daryl to express about how he felt on that matter was just going to be wasted effort. Like she said before, her past relationship with Nathan didn't matter anymore and not talking about it made that statement true.

As for the other photographs, Hershel called it a miracle of a find, but Elena only thought of it as just pure dumb luck. Elena allowed the group to look through them, especially after T-Dog had begged to see embarrassing photos of her that could be in the pile. She knew there was none. Glenn, Maggie and Beth stood close by one another as Maggie flipped through the photos one after the other. Carl had been curious also. His mother on the other hand was a different story.

Lori had been quiet since Elena let the photos get passed around, a strained smile on her lips. But Elena knew that the tinge she saw in her eyes meant something that she wasn't at all surprised to see. It was envy. Elena couldn't much blame her; after all she had found the one thing that still tied her to her past, memories caught in pictures that she could forever take with her even though the world had abruptly come to an end. Elena knew that Lori wished she still had her family photo albums with her that she supposedly lost at Hershel's farm when the herd came charging through. Had she been in her shoes, she would have been envious too.

"He's right," Beth spoke softly. "Yer sister had green eyes and really curly hair."

Elena grinned slightly. "We got that a lot. People said I look more like my mother while she took after my father's side."

"She was beautiful," Carol whispered, offering her the last photograph.

"Yeah," Elena replied and felt the familiar tightening in her chest. She tried to keep her thoughts at bay.

"I know yer brother-in-law wasn't with us for long," Maggie whispered and lifted her eyes to her. "But he seemed like a good guy."

A sad smile creased Elena's lips. "He was." Elena knew Toni personally before the apocalypse hardened and changed him. He was such a charismatic guy, and maybe he had deep issues every time he seemed to come back from a tour overseas, but he always kept a smile on his face. The one thing she hated was that the others didn't get a chance to see him that way and as first impressions go, Toni looked like a careless asshole that treated her like shit. But that wasn't him at all, that wasn't the Toni she wanted to remember.

"He did so much for me and my sister, even put up with our fighting…You don't realize until now how stupid that all was, to never get along."

The group became awfully quiet after that as Maggie shuffled through the last few photographs left and handed Elena back the pile.

"Should hold onto that," Lori spoke suddenly, her expression serious as she gestured toward the photos. "Even though they're just photographs, something like that is precious now in a world like this."

Elena shot her eyes toward Lori, and in the light she could see a glossy sheen over her eyes. Then she nodded once toward her. But a confliction was bottling up inside her.

Yes, it was sheer luck to find something that by assumption this world had destroyed, anything that still tied you back to your past, back in the days when life was simple and happiness was easily found. Even so, to hold onto something that reminded you of everything you had lost almost brought a deathly feeling in Elena's chest. Maybe it was ignorant to think that if she had nothing to remind herself of her family, the loss of them would be easier to handle. But now that she had found photos of them that gave her the recollection of what they looked like back in simpler times, it just made the grief worse. She had no illusions that finding these photographs were a blessing, but she didn't know if she could keep something that reminded her every damn day that she'd never get Toni and Amelia back.

"C'mon, baby, bedtime," Lori said then, waving her fingers toward Carl. He pursed his lips—something he had been doing often lately whenever his mother used the nickname—but got up from Elena's side and made his way back to the unit they occupied.

And one by one the group began to disperse back to their makeshift rooms to call it a night. Elena bid them a goodnight as she straightened the pile of photographs in her hands and stood up. She made a decision to retreat to the unit with Glenn and Maggie, to hopefully get a goodnights rest that could be evitable in keeping her grave thoughts to the back of her mind, but she thought she'd try anyway.

However, Elena stopped in mid-step, having remembered that she had left her blanket and the album in Daryl's unit. Elena made her way down the hall toward Daryl's temporary room and strode to the space she had taken up last night. She slid the photographs inside the empty album and placed it under her arm before grabbing her blanket.

"Yer leavin'?"

Elena turned, her sight taking in Daryl as he entered slowly inside. He held his crossbow against his right leg, his brown hair wet and slightly messy. His blue eyes gazed at her.

Elena shrugged one shoulder. "I don't want to invade your space more than I need to."

Daryl scoffed half-heartedly as he turned his eyes away from her and made his way to his nest of belongings. "Gonna stay back at Glenn and Maggie's? Thought you said ya felt like a—whatcha call it?"

"A third wheel?"

"Yeah, that, in there with 'em."

Elena tilted her head for a moment, bunching the blanket in her arms. "Are you extending an invitation?"

"Got room," he said. His back was facing her as he began to unbutton and pull off his leather biker vest, dropping it atop his bag. "An' I don' want ya wakin' me up every time Glenn and Maggie…whatever."

A smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "It might cause a stir in the group, me staying with you."

Daryl appeared to hesitate at that, his back straightening. He paused for a moment before he spoke again. "Let 'em talk. It don' matter."

In a sense, Daryl was right. Elena wasn't so much concerned for the others to know their affair, but there was one person she worried about. She had grown close to T-Dog in the passing months; even saw him as a close friend. But she knew the stir would be caused by him, and the teasing afterwards was something she wasn't going to look forward to. But it couldn't be helped.

Before leaving to grab her things she had left in Glenn and Maggie's unit, Elena thanked him wholehearted, mostly because staying with Glenn and Maggie wasn't exactly a choice she wanted to follow through. For one, Glenn and Maggie deserved to have private time with one another without her invading it, and two, spending more time with Daryl was something she wanted.

Daryl turned his head then when Elena left and he exhaled a long breath. The libido part of him knew it wasn't a good idea to have her staying in the same unit as him, now with only open space separating the two of them, but the selfish part of him wanted her to accept the offer. Having her near him gave him a sense of ease, whether it was protective or tentativeness. The excuse of her not waking him up to spend the night in his unit whenever Maggie and Glenn kept her up was just a cover up. Expressing completely how he felt—which in this case, he felt more comfortable if she was close by—wasn't something he was practiced enough to be ready to do. Emotional expression was an act that still unnerved him. Maybe by now he should be accustomed to it, considering the strong attachment he had for Elena was well acknowledged by not just him but by her also, however, the difficulty of diving into something that he barely had experience with was terrifying. And the last thing Daryl would ever admit was being scared.

Daryl sat back by his belongings just as Elena returned shortly after with her duffel bag, backpack and crowbar. She set them back in the space she slept last night, a few paces away from him like last time. From the corner of her eye, he watched her as she laid her blanket down to the ground and settled herself. Neither of them said anything and Daryl decided to occupy his time in sharpening his hunting knife that had dulled down from previous kills.

Elena sat cross legged, her eyes lowered to the ground. He couldn't help but look back at her, curious as to what she was staring at until he realized she was looking back down at the album. She picked it up, opening the book and took out the stack of photographs.

"Thought ya said yer gonna put those back," he said absently, his brows furrowed on the blade of his knife.

"I…couldn't. It's just one of those things you want to hold onto."

"Hell of a thing to find."

"Lucky, I think."

He averted his eyes back to her. She was gazing down at the photographs thoughtfully, shuffling through them.

"Gonna bring it with you? When we leave this place," he added.

Elena stilled her hands, but she didn't lift her eyes to him. "I don't know yet."

Daryl furrowed his brow. That wasn't an answer he had expected from her. Her initial assumed response was that she would say 'of course' as if it was a hell of a question to ask. But there was a tone in her voice, something hidden behind her words that Daryl barely caught. He lowered his knife and gazed steadily at her.

Her eyes finally lifted to him, doing a double take when she realized his attention was on her. Her hazel eyes lowered again and she frowned. "I must be crazy, huh? I mean, I found a photograph of memories I'll never relive again, something that people _wished_ they could have."

"But ya wanna leave it behind," Daryl spoke softly.

Elena nodded slowly and graveness filled her eyes. "All it does is bring me back to that day, y'know? When my group got killed. God, I was such a coward then."

"What?" Daryl couldn't hide the confusion in his question.

She met his eyes. "You remember me telling the story, right? The second day I met you guys, just after Toni almost…well, you know." Daryl didn't answer, but Elena wasn't waiting for confirmation, because she continued. "I was hiding when my group was ambushed and massacred. I just sat there. Sometimes I wondered if I had stepped in, if things might have gone differently."

"Probably would've gotten killed too," Daryl answered without hesitation.

But Elena appeared not to be listening. "I just froze up, watched as they dragged Toni and Amelia away."

"Ya said you an' Toni escaped."

She shook her head. "Before that, though, those guys knew I was hiding. They came looking for me and I ran. _Ran_. I left my sister and Toni for those guys to…" Elena's voice began to crack.

"Ya couldn't of taken 'em on," Daryl replied.

"I could have at least _tried_."

"You'd be dead." Daryl narrowed his eyes. "Or worse." He thought for a moment of what Elena had said happened to her sister by those assholes and his fist clenched tightly on his knife.

Elena placed the photographs down and slammed the album shut, burying her face in her hands, her emotional restraint snapping. "If I knew then what I know now, I wouldn't have run away. I would've done something. I ran away, Daryl. And one of the reasons I went back is because I knew I couldn't go through this life by myself. I was too scared to be alone." She sniffed. "I was an idiot. I didn't know what I expected to do, or find. I guess I thought I'd find Toni and Amelia in one piece or something…Instead what I got was Toni barely managing to escape and covered in blood. I didn't know what the hell I was doing but I found myself running to him, helping him out of there. I had no idea what happened, all I remember was hearing shouting and Toni telling me to keep going. I still remember the look on his face…with everything he saw. I left him to go through that shit by _himself_."

Daryl stood up and closed the gap between them. Elena lifted her eyes to him, her eyes big and red.

"You done?"

Elena furrowed her brow, her expression changing as if he had struck her.

Daryl lowered himself on his heels, staring at her sharply. "There ain't nothin' you could've done. Ya think goin' in there, guns blazin' would've saved 'em? Hell, those assholes would've shot ya down 'fore ya got one bullet in 'em. You ain't gotta play the hero. You still helped Toni, didn't ya? A coward ain't got the balls to do that."

Elena lips tightened as she stared back at him, adsorbing his every word.

"Blamin' yerself don' do shit, neither. It ain't yer fault what happened."

She slowly bowed her then and there was a moment of heavy silence.

Daryl saw it, that vulnerable weak spot that everyone had. Elena normally kept it well hidden in most cases until it came to anything emotionally staggering. He also saw why she tried so hard to protect and fight for the group, forcing herself into situations that were borderline suicidal. She said once that she wanted to prove that she wasn't weak and now he understood the reason why. She didn't want to fail the group because of what had happened to hers and to her sister. She wanted to overcome her fears and to prove to herself that she wasn't a coward. But the thing is she never was.

Daryl may not have known her all his life, but sometimes a lifetime wasn't needed to know a person. She went _back_ even though she saw her friends being gunned down. She helped Toni escape. She practically carried him to safety and asked Rick Grimes, a perfect stranger, for help. She saved Toni from opting out. She did a hell of a lot of things no coward would have even lifted a finger to do.

And hell, if Daryl even had the guts to say it, he would have told her she was emotionally braver than he ever was.


	29. Chapter 29

**You know what I miss? Nervous Daryl. Why? Because he was so much fun to write, and he makes an appearance in this chapter! I had a lot of fun writing this chapter, because goddamn this subject is so much fun to work with. Haha. My entire thought writing this was, "who could resist Daryl Dixon?" maybe some people, but Elena ain't one of them. So keep that in mind people while you're reading this. I hope you like and the next chapter will be another doozy I can assure you.**

**As always, great welcome to new readers! Thank you for following the adventures of Elena and Daryl, I enjoy company on the journey. :) Great thanks to those that favourited and that have reviewed, you are the caffeine to my coffee, cannot continue without you!**

**'I need your Love' by _Ellie Goulding feat. Calvin Harri_s was stuck in my head while writing the end, so I thought it was fitting for the theme.**

**I take no credit for characters with an exception to my OC's.**

* * *

_It was the sudden heat that woke him, followed by the brief slither of a touch against his hair. He quickly shot his eyes open, his whole body tensing at the intrusion. His heartbeat began to pound with alarm and he sat up so swiftly he was momentarily disoriented._

_Then he heard a laugh._

_"Did I scare you?"_

_He furrowed his brow, blinking away the fatigue that was still in his eyes. He shifted his eyes to his right. Elena sat by him, her brow cocked and a grin curving her lips._

_"What the hell?" he asked, rubbing the back of his hand over his mouth. His heartbeat was settling now._

_"I couldn't sleep."_

_"So, ya came to wake me up?" That was the irritation talking and he rubbed his hand over his eyes._

_Elena didn't reply and he sighed heavily, realizing his tone of voice. She must have woken from another nightmare and he had regarded her with nothing but scorn. His eyes softened and he looked back at her._

_But there was something different about her. Her gaze on him hadn't changed; the same grin on her lips was still there. Her hazel eyes were narrowed slightly and dark. He couldn't remember a time that she looked at him like that before._

_"What?" he said, his voice sounding breathless._

_Again, Elena was silent, but she itched closer ever slightly. Her eyes lowered then to her hand that began to reach toward him. By instinct, he jerked his leg back and his heart began to pump quickly again._

_"Should go back to sleep." His words were barely above a whisper that he hardly heard it in his own ears._

_"I can't."_

_He could only stare at her. What exactly did Elena expect him to do? Sooth her to sleep? He could sleep by her again, see if that could work like last time, but her gaze on him was making him uncomfortable. Nervous. There was intent hidden behind her long lashes and he swallowed what felt like a rock down his throat._

_"Elena—"_

_She placed her fingers over his lips, silencing him. She pulled her hand away and leaned in, her eyes never leaving his._

_The realization of her intent struck him so hard, he felt lightheaded. "Wait—"_

_"C'mon," she finally said. "You can't say you don't miss this too."_

_Good Lord._

_Of course he missed this, hell, it was always prodding him. But he couldn't do it, he only had so much control and that darkness in her eyes was making his fingers tremble with anticipation. Maybe her only intent was to kiss him, maybe that was all she wanted to do, but he was going to want more._

_He didn't have time to react when her full lips molded against his, slow and precise, a hell of a lot more practiced than how he moved. He was frozen where he sat, allowing her as her hands slid up against his neck, the touch bringing a spark of electricity through his entire body._

_He needed to stop this. Right now._

_He lifted his hands that felt weightless, to grip her arms to pull her back. But Elena shifted suddenly, swinging her leg over his lap and straddled him. Her mouth took his again, faster this time, openmouthed and feral. He never felt her this way, her movements heated with both longing and desire. And it was killing him._

_His restraint was stretching so far, just like an elastic band that was so close to snapping. The rational part of his brain was telling him to man up and stop her before this got too far, before they reached the point of no return. But the weaker side, the side that rarely came out was urging him to see how far this really would go._

_For once, he wasn't the one initiating this; he wasn't the one rushing in for sexual release. _She_ was. And Lord, it was devouring his ability to do anything about it._

_Elena's lips parted from his then and he sucked in a breath when he felt her tongue against the hollow between the side of his neck and jaw. He gripped her arms firmly._

_"Stop," he told her. Then he felt a sharp jolt against his manhood, as if it was protesting his order._

_Elena lifted her eyes to him, the darkness gone from them. "What's wrong?"_

_"I don'…"_

Shit._ He couldn't even think properly. All that was going through his mind at the moment was her hips against his, barely close enough to touch where he desperately wanted, but he was gratefully thankful for the distance._

_"It's okay," she whispered. "Just this once."_

_Rationality began flooding his mind, shouting at him. However, there was only one voice he was willing to hear. The voice telling him to go through with it._

_They don't have protection._

_But he could just pull out._

_Was he confident enough to do so?_

_Elena didn't know and there was no way he was ever going to let her know, but he had only slept with three other women before her. Three. All one-night stands and all initiated just because of Merle and his stupid wiseass remarks questioning his little brother's sexuality. All times guided by hard liquor and a barely coherent Daryl. Elena had been the first woman he had slept with sober; she had been the first woman to make it feel differently for him. The first woman to make it feel completely more than he had ever expected it to. Embarrassing as it was, he wasn't confident enough to even remember to pull out when he would be on the edge of release._

_He wasn't even confident enough to stop her now._

_She stared at him patiently, her fingers lowering to the buttons on his shirt, very slowly unbuttoning them. She then slid her hand in, her hot skin touching his, and what it did was ignite a fire._

_Daryl was done. Rationality was gone. Screw it, he _needed_ this._

_He gripped her thighs tightly, pulling her so she was right where he wanted and he couldn't help but let the groan travel up his throat. It had been way too long for this to happen again, he didn't know how he resisted in the first place._

_Elena smiled down to him before she brought her lips back on his and Daryl hungrily took what he wanted._

Daryl woke up with a start, his eyes shooting open.

What the hell? Where was he?

His eyes drifted then, the dim light allowing him to take in the concrete ceilings and walls. The only heat he felt now was himself, the heat from the blood flowing through his veins. His heart was still beating hard, but it began to slow, steadying as realization brought him straight back to reality.

A loud sigh escaped his lips and he dropped his arm to his side.

It was a dream.

When was the last time he had one of those? Daryl couldn't remember.

He narrowed his eyes slightly, the images returning over his eyes. They were still fresh, still able to bring that spark of electricity through his limbs, especially below his waist. His body was still hard.

Abruptly, Daryl sat up, rubbing his eyes roughly with the back on his hand. He stilled momentarily, his eyes averted to his side. Elena was just as he left her, coiled in her blanket, her back facing him and asleep.

It was just a dream. It wasn't real.

Images of her looking at him with those dark eyes, riddled with lust and feral desire flooded his head. Her lips on him, her touch…

_Shit_. He needed to get out of there before he did something stupid.

Daryl stood quickly, ignoring the ache in his loins, ignoring the need that course through his veins. He ripped his eyes away from Elena, practically jogging out of the unit.

It had to be still dark out, probably the middle of the night considering everyone was still settled in their makeshift rooms. Good. He had time to go off on his own and clear his mind. Daryl slowed his steps then, walking down the hall, his boots echoing against the walls. When he made it down the hall, he lent hard against a closed unit, sighing heavily. He needed something. A drink would have been nice. He still had one bottle of whisky left; unfortunately he remembered leaving it back in one of the leather tail bags on Merle's bike.

Then something alerted his memory, something that at times was far better than a drink. Daryl shoved his hand in his back pocket, pulling out a half empty pack of cigarettes he salvaged from one of the dead bodies they cremated the night before. Cigarettes were a hard thing to find nowadays and Daryl could only assume it was because of the addicts that horded as much as they could when civilization pretty much crumbled. He wasn't an addict himself, it was only a habit. He started smoking when he was young, thinking that was the best way to calm him from the stressful household he lived in, and it did. Daryl only craved a cigarette when he was stressed, and right now he desperately needed one.

He took one stick in his mouth, reaching in his other pocket for a lighter—he always kept one handy—and he lit the end. Daryl took a drag and it felt like every muscle in his body had finally loosened the tightness it was in since he woke up.

It was only day three of sharing a unit with Elena and it wasn't getting any easier. He knew that it was somewhat his fault for offering her a space the night before, but hell if he didn't miss being close to her. He thought maybe that could settle down the nervous tension between them, to fill the void that the pregnancy scare had created. But all it did was make it worse, and viciously remind him the deprivation he was feeling. He wanted to immerse himself in her, he wanted to relive those nights they spent together. They only had had sex twice, but goddamn that was enough for Daryl to go through withdrawals.

Maybe he was more like Merle than he originally thought.

No. That wasn't right. His older brother was different, he went after anything that had breasts and an ass and even as racist as the son of a bitch was, that didn't matter to him when he wanted to get laid. Women were women, and his standards shot to the ground as soon as he was intoxicated. That was probably the reason the idiot got the clap more than one occasion.

No, as much as Daryl tried following underneath his shadow, he was nothing like him. His primal need for Elena wasn't anything he had learned from his older brother, it wasn't anything he had with the women he had one-night stands with. It was…

Hell, he didn't know.

Daryl took another long drag from his cigarette, letting the smoke flow through his nostrils and passed his lips.

He was going to end up smoking the rest of the pack by the time he was ready to return back to his unit.

* * *

"Hey, Elena…?"

"Hm?" she replied before yawning. She rubbed the ache from her eyes and the sleep that still lingered. Her body was still getting accustomed with the extra hours of sleep it was now receiving, making her still overly tired. Her brain had appeared to gotten in the habit of functioning with more or less a few hours of rest and it was likely it didn't know what to do with the excess energy. She was utterly exhausted and she hoped that getting herself active for the morning would perk up her attention, but right now she rather go back to sleep.

She had woken up once last night, which believe it or not, was actual progress. One nightmare was all that disturbed her slumber and falling back to sleep had been easier than most nights. Sharing a unit with Daryl was actually doing her some good. Maybe that's all she needed, some real _security_. He hadn't slept beside her like the first night, which sometimes made her hope for another occurrence. His warmth had always been a comforting attribute he had. Instead, the past couple of nights they had kept their distance and as always Elena woke up alone in the unit. The disappointment of that was getting easier to bear, but the space from him was beginning to weigh her down.

She didn't know where he was at the moment. Daryl and Rick were both missing from the gathering for breakfast. Everyone else sat in the hall, either on the floor or folded out lawn chairs they retrieved from other units. Elena sat cross legged on the floor, a bowl of dried cereal on her lap. Her throat felt starched and at the moment she wished she had some cold milk that could help her swallow down the cereal. But what she missed most out of anything was coffee. She missed the sweet aroma that filled her nostrils every morning when she entered _Urban Grind_ after her hour long run from her apartment in Atlanta. She missed that sweet and bitter taste of caffeine and sugar…

"Are you and Daryl dating?"

Elena coughed suddenly as a flake of cereal was lunged into her throat, the question bringing her away from her tangent and forcibly dropping her back to reality. A series of dry coughs escaped her and her eyes began to water. Immediately she reached for her bottle of water and chugged it down before she went into a fit again. She inhaled deeply, the invasion of the piece of cereal in her throat gone and she stared back at Carl.

"What?" she finally uttered in reply.

He shrugged his shoulder carelessly. "You guys are sleeping in the same unit now. Are you guys together?"

Elena blinked then shifted her eyes to Lori who sat beside him. She had no idea what to say and she hoped Lori would give her support in this. Although her eyes gazed at her curiously, Lori looked back down at her son.

"Baby, I don't think that's something you should be asking."

"It was just a question," he remarked and rolled his eyes.

"It's a damn good one."

Elena almost winced and she shot her eyes toward T-Dog who sat on one of the chairs, his ankle crossed over his knee. A wide grin spread his lips and Elena had to fight the flush of bright red that was about ready to flash over her face.

Here we go, here is where the teasing was going to begin. Elena knew she had nothing to be embarrassed about, after all she saw Daryl as a well establish bachelor. He was a little awkward, most times troubling and sometimes ill tempered, but he was a good man. Attractive, smart and sweet. And he was awfully modest, which was incredibly endearing. There was certainly nothing embarrassing about that. Still, the prodding questions and comments that were going to be flung her way from now on were going to make times like these uncomfortable.

"What? Ain't redneck your type?"

"T-Dog," Carol warned but also bit back a smile. "Don't be mean. Leave her alone."

T-Dog laughed. "All she has to say is no."

All eyes drew to her and Elena lowered her gaze. "No comment."

"I _knew _it!"

"That wasn't exactly an answer," Glenn remarked, giving her a quick supportive smile.

"It's good 'nough for me." T-Dog let out another contagious laugh. "Elena and Daryl sittin' in a tree…"

"_God_," Elena said, "how _old_ are you?"

"How old are you?" he challenged. "Ain't gotta be embarrassed if you and Daryl are gettin' cozy."

"_Seriously_?"

He laughed again and everyone stayed silent, switching their gaze between the two of them.

"Well," T-Dog then said as he slapped his hands over the arm rests of his chair and lifted himself to his feet, "I'd love to poke at you to get a real answer but the leftover units are callin' my name."

Elena stifled a sigh of relief. When Theodore Douglas wanted to know something, he was definitely persistent, and she didn't know how far she could keep her mouth shut before she cracked. When he went toward his unit, she allowed her shoulders to loosen from the tension.

"Don't worry about him," Carol whispered to her.

Elena grinned at her politely. "It's okay. I doubt he has the guts to do that in front of Daryl."

Carol matched her grin. "Of course not."

Carol was a sweet woman and for a brief moment Elena thought about speaking to her in order to gather comforting advice, to get a supportive word on her troubles with Daryl that was looming discreetly between them.

The abstinence couldn't be avoided, and she supposed there was nothing that could be done about that, but it was the missing of reciprocated affection that she needed to figure out. What should she do? She could barely touch Daryl without him so much as recoiling and as much as she kept it hidden, the rejection hurt.

Maggie's words then came to mind, claiming that they entered a dry spell and it would pass. It hadn't been the first time Elena experienced something like this. Back a couple of years ago when she was in a relationship with Liam Heller—which had lasted a lot longer than she ever expected—their dry spell lasted for nearly a month. It had been all Elena, however. She wasn't feeling it anymore. Liam had been an overly confident guy, which was funny and appealing at first, but his act got old for Elena quick. It raised arguments between them, mostly claims that she was finding attention somewhere else. As overly confident as Liam was, it was only compensation for his insecurity.

Anyway, the dry spell ended poorly and the two of them called it quits shortly after. After that, Elena hadn't had the mental strength or will power to date again.

Not until now.

To be fair, Elena wasn't looking for it, it just sort of happened. She had grown an attachment for Daryl, slowly gaining an attraction for the southern hunter for both his personality and his rugged good looks. And those eyes. That was probably her favourite trait of his. So clearly blue and yet they were able to tell you exactly what he was thinking in one single look. And not to mention the heated moments that exuded between them. Daryl may not be fully experienced with the aspects of a relationship, but his knowledge of how to make her body react spoke wonders. And she wanted that experience back.

"Everything okay?" Carol asked her then, noticing as Elena chewed on her bottom lip.

Hesitantly she nodded her head. As much as she wanted advice, Elena didn't know where to even begin.

* * *

"Storm is gettin' better."

Daryl nodded his head in agreement. It was still cold out there, the snow continued to fall but the winds have settled gradually. All he saw was white as far as the eye could see and he was sure after a couple of days when the storm finally ceased, the snow would be gone and they could hit back on the road. However, he was sure that plan would be on standby for a long while. The group was settling here comfortably and he was sure Rick was worried about this.

They rarely spoke, but Daryl had a way of reading the group's leader. He always had one eye on him, watching his back, grasping his unspoken signals. Rick didn't look at ease here as everyone else did, he always seemed on edge. Rick had been on double duty since they packed their stuff here in Pearson Self-Storage, always patrolling the halls or the outskirts around the building on his own. Daryl tried to lighten the responsibility for him also, keeping watch in the morning so he'd get a couple of hours of sleep under his belt. Plus, it gave him an excuse to leave the unit before Elena woke up.

Why that bothered him, Daryl was still trying to understand the concept. It wasn't like they were sleeping together, they had that short distance. But there was something intimate about waking up next to the person you cared about the most. Something that was both comfortable and trusting, and yet it unnerved him. Although he was comfortable with Elena, a lot more so than he was with anyone else, allowing himself to let his guard down completely wasn't an easy task. It had become habit and feeling vulnerable near her wasn't something he could concede so easily.

Daryl didn't know how she had so much patience for him; even he knew he was circling around with his tail between his legs. But maybe it wasn't the fact that she still stuck by him as he was accepting their need to be together, it was the fact that she hadn't given up on him yet. And admittedly, Daryl liked the feeling that he was someone she didn't want to let go. There was nothing more deliberating than feeling wanted, both emotionally and physically. Although, the physical aspect of it was a little harder to achieve nowadays.

The dream came to mind and Daryl forced it back as far as he could. Hell, now that stupid delusion was going to pester him every time he was near her. It was bad enough that the memories of her bare underneath him in the front seat of the Dodge pickup haunted him when his thoughts seemed to wander; now he had to deal with this too? Testosterone had a funny way of torturing a son of a bitch.

"Need to start organizin' patrols outside. Divide the work," Rick said.

"Can start with the mornin' shifts," Daryl offered.

Rick nodded. "I'll handle the mornin'. We can get T and Glenn to take the nights. We can also have Elena involved on watch now, to take the afternoon."

Daryl narrowed his eyes at that and began chewing the inside of his cheek. Rick averted his eyes to him, taking in his reluctant posture at the suggestion. Rick sighed.

"Elena is capable, I don't think you have to worry about her."

"Ain't her I'm worried 'bout," Daryl answered quickly, then jerked his chin ahead. "It's what's out there." He met Rick's eyes and shook his head. "She can handle 'erself with walkers fine. Other survivors are a different story."

"The chances of other survivors findin' this place…"

Daryl shrugged one shoulder. "It don' feel right to me."

Rick lowered his eyes and nodded his head, and for a moment, Daryl thought he saw the slightest hint of a smile on his lips. "We'll have her takin' watch inside by the exits with Maggie, then, if you don't mind double duty."

"No," he replied without hesitation. Double duty or not, as long as she was safely inside, Daryl didn't care. The thought of her patrolling outside on her own didn't sit well with him, scenarios popping in his head with endless possibilities of her getting compromised by other survivors. The tragic story of the massacre of her group before came to mind also and Daryl couldn't bear the thought of her being in that danger again.

Keeping watch for walkers was an easy task, and Elena's fast reflexes made her fit enough to take care of the cadavers, that's assuming there was only a couple. But when it came to other survivors, who can be unpredictably ruthless and manipulative, he didn't want her anywhere near that danger. Last time it had been Don that attacked her, and Daryl promised himself that was the last time anyone would land a finger on her.

"Go ahead and grab somethin' to eat. I got things covered from here."

Daryl glanced at Rick for a second, but he wasn't looking at him. He was looking out at the land, Shane's old Mossberg 590 shotgun nestled in his arms.

As much as Daryl found worth watching over the group's leader, he knew that at the moment, Rick was fine on his own so he didn't fight against his order. Daryl gave a nod, giving the area a final sweep with his eyes before turning and heading to the back door.

Daryl entered inside, tossing the snow in his hair with the shake of his head and continued his decent down the hall. He could hear the others voices echo throughout the building—Glenn's complaints, Maggie's rebuttals, T-Dog's remarks, Beth and Carl's small laughs. They were probably back to business getting the last of the units a once over for supplies.

He made his way back to their camp of units. Carol, Hershel and Lori were left there by the space the group usually congregated for meals. They were speaking quietly toward one another, Carol being the only one that acknowledged his presence in the short distance and giving him a small smile. He sent a nod in response, before entering the solitary of his unit.

Then, Daryl paused, his entire body stiffening and his eyes completely transfixed.

The unit wasn't empty as he expected it to be. Someone was in there also, their bare back to him as they adjusted the waistband of their worn out jeans over their hips and buttoning and zipping them up. It took Daryl barely anytime at all to recognize Elena's slender figure, her curves that were less prominent from their limited nutrition, but still very much there and widely shown without the layers she normally bundled herself in.

Unconsciously, Daryl's eyes trailed, taken in every inch of bare golden skin of her torso under the straps of her bra, the grove of her spine that lowered down to between the two dimples peeking above her jeans. Daryl had seen Elena nude once before—which permanently engraved a spot in his brain—but it had been the first time he gazed at uncharted territory.

He noticed something then, a shape on her skin, at the right of her lower back. The shape was that of a bird, its wings spread open, stretching out just before her spine and her right side, in shades of blue that seemed to glow off her skin. The bird appeared to be flying in a slant upwards, blue feathers falling underneath where they began to disappear into her waistband. And Daryl had a curious desire to see how far the feathers fell.

When Elena suddenly bent, causing Daryl to blink out of his reverie, he swallowed and tried to clear the fog that developed in his head. She reached for something in her duffel bag and straightened back up, throwing what Daryl realized was a long sleeved shirt over her head. He saw her face tilt toward his direction as she pulled the shirt down, doing a quick double take and he immediately looked away as soon as her eyes met his in that brief second.

"Oh, hey, I didn't hear you come in."

Daryl avoided her gaze, finally feeling the blood rush back into his legs and he stepped toward his belongings. Elena went silent, sitting down on the cold concrete floor and pulling on a semi clean pair of socks.

He narrowed his eyes for a second before allowing the question in his head escape his lips. "What's with the bird?"

Elena stilled and stared back at him. "What?"

Daryl almost grimaced, feeling this awkward sensation fill his entire body. Why the hell did he even ask? A part of him wished he hadn't smoked that entire pack of smokes last night.

"Oh," Elena said afterwards as realization struck her. "My tattoo?"

"What's it mean?" His voice sounded rough and raspy that he wanted to clear his throat. But paranoia stopped him from doing so. If he did, it would probably give off the impression that he was at the moment feeling uneasy.

Oblivious to his insecure thoughts, she answered. "It means I made a bad decision when I was eighteen."

"It don' look bad," he replied honestly. In fact, the art of it was well drawn that he couldn't necessarily see it as a tattoo someone would easily regret.

"The tattoo wasn't the problem, it was the amount of money I spent on it." She shrugged. "I thought it was a great idea at the time, until a few years later when I realized I could have used that money for something more practical, like a better apartment."

Daryl's eyes drifted toward the space of the unit, the packs of boxes still shoved in the back, their makeshift beds of used sleeping bags and sheets, the distant smell of mothballs and dust. He then looked back to her. She seemed to know exactly what he was thinking and she laughed.

"I take back any complaint I had for that old place."

He couldn't help but let a grin tug at his lips. She appeared to be in a better mood, a lot better than the other night when she had the minor meltdown over the loss of her sister and brother-in-law. Daryl had never been good with words, but what he had said still appeared to have struck a nerve. Her voice had mirth again and her eyes were bright and alive. And that smile of hers was finally back on her face. That curve of her lips that seemed to perk all his senses onto overdrive.

"Anyway, it was supposed to pay homage to my grandparents that immigrated here. At least, that was my excuse. In reality I just wanted a cool tattoo."

"What is it?"

"A parrot. A hyacinth macaw if we're getting specific."

Daryl was thoughtful for a moment, curiously so. He didn't recognize the name, but the bird had to be somewhere from the tropics, a place where it only inhabited, and if he had to guess, somewhere in South America. Elena's heritage rarely came to mind, not that it really mattered to him where she got her features from. But he knew from her naturally light tanned skin and thick dark hair that she wasn't a full bled white American, and judging by her lack of a southern drawl, she wasn't born in Georgia either.

His family came to mind then, a family of proud white Americans who judged and prodded any individual that wasn't pure blood and devotedly patriotic to their country. He remembered his father often enough throwing off racial slurs to anyone he labelled as an immigrant, something that Merle himself had attributed. Merle had manipulated and influenced him to have the same ignorant mindset, which now Daryl had the balls to say was a shameful single-minded attitude for shit that doesn't matter. Race didn't exist, especially now. It was dark and white meat, there was the dead and there was the living.

"Oh, I just remembered," Elena stated suddenly. "I saved you some breakfast."

She stood, grabbing a plastic bowl that she had set aside and offered it to him.

"Thanks." Daryl gazed down at the bowl, hiding a scowl. It was Oat Bran cereal. Before the world had gone to shit, Daryl would have been caught dead eating this crap.

"I know it's not exactly your favourite thing but you gotta eat something."

Exhaling lightly, he took a seat, taking some of the cereal in his fingertips and shoving it in his mouth. He chewed on the dry cereal absently, gazing back at Elena who just finished up tying up her old ragged hiking boots that seriously needed to be replaced. She then reached for the leather bound photo album she still kept with her. Since yesterday, she had adapted the hobby of ordering the photographs into the album rather than leaving them in a pile tucked inside.

"Still workin' on that?" he asked her.

"Yeah, I'm trying to put the photos in chronological order, but my sister didn't date these so I've been kinda guessing."

Daryl watched her as she set the remainder of the photos on the floor before flipping to the empty pages. He peered then toward the photos. The curiosity of them was still there in the back of his mind, still griping him.

Daryl hesitated for a long moment, staring back at the album and chewing on his cereal. He gave in; allowing his curiosity to flare and he stood and sat down next to her. She gave him a brief smile before it faltered. She sniffed the air and he cocked a brow at her.

"What?" he asked.

"Just…you smell like cigarettes." She gazed at him. "You smoke?"

It was tiny, barely there, but Daryl could see it, the small flash of disappointment. Normally, seeing that wouldn't have bothered him, but seeing it from her made him shift uncomfortable. "That a problem?"

She pursed her lips momentarily. She shook her head. "No."

Somehow, Daryl didn't believe she was being completely honest. Deciding to divert the subject, he lowered his gaze to the left over photographs and jerked his chin to one.

"That you?"

"Uh, yeah." She picked it up and handed it to him. "That was taken over a year ago, at my cousin's wedding."

"Ya look different." Daryl narrowed her eyes to the image. Elena was smiling toward the camera, her dark brown hair coiled into perfect curls, her eyes vibrant and face rich with colour.

She exhaled as a short indication of a laugh. "Yeah, that was when I had makeup and hair products. Y'know, back when physical appearance actually mattered."

There was an acceptance buried in there, Daryl knew. An admission that Elena needed those attributes for her physical appearance to matter to someone, to grab the attention of someone. Which pissed him off. He was living, aching proof that she didn't need that shit to be desirable. Hell, even when she joined the group, covered in dirt and dried blood, she still caught his attention. Daryl didn't realize it then, but he was well aware of it now.

"I should get going," she then said, taking the photo he offered back. "Help the others clean out the units."

"Rick wants you to start takin' watch duty," he told her.

"When?"

"Dunno." He shrugged. "Gotta talk to 'im."

She nodded her head before closing the album and setting it back where she left it. She stood, tightening her ponytail before smiling back at him. "Better eat the rest of that cereal."

Daryl scoffed and looked away with slight annoyance at her motherly tone. A comedic smile traced her lips before she left and Daryl did exactly what she told him.

* * *

Rick employed her for an hour long shift that night. However, after a short speech, Elena was able to convince him to give her an extra hour. Watch duty may be a drilling task and a lot of time boring, but she was finally glad to be given the opportunity. It told her that Rick thought she was capable enough to protect the group, to hold down the fort while the others slept. The extra hour was an offer to give the others with shifts some more added rest. Everyone needed it. Plus, she was so use to being up at night that keeping watch sounded like a good idea to tire herself in order to reconstruct her sleeping schedule.

She stood close by the back exit of the building. Rick told her under any circumstances she was not to leave the building. The exit was locked and Elena's job was to make sure it stayed that way. Walker's couldn't pick a lock, and even if there was a herd outside, they'd have to have the strength of a typhoon in order to take down that door. But living people on the other hand… She knew that's what Rick was being protective of. The possibility that other survivors might find this place. She didn't think there was much of a chance, but then again she hadn't expected to find Don and Natasha in the factory either.

Elena lent against the wall and decided to make sure she had everything equipped. Her faithful crowbar was against the wall beside her, so that was a given. Her Glock 17 shoved in the waistband of her pants, fully loaded and safety on. She then felt her back pocket for her switchblade. She didn't feel the bulge of the handle.

Damn. She forgot it in her backpack.

It wasn't necessarily an important item, but she felt more prepared with it, after all, if anything happened where she was disarmed from her crowbar and her pistol, her gutting switchblade was there as her last lifeline. As if to make absolute sure that she was missing it, Elena shoved her hand in her pocket. Her fingertips touched something then and she furrowed her brow before pulling it out.

It was a folded up thick piece of paper. Curiously, she unfolded it, recognition diving into her memory.

It was the photograph of Nathan and her. She had forgotten that when she shared Amelia's photographs with the group the other night, she had taken that one and shoved it in her pocket. Glenn was the only one that knew who Nathan was, however, the secret of who he really was, was only known by her and Daryl and she rather keep it that way. T-Dog poking her for answers about Daryl was fine, but about Nathan? That at the moment was forbidden territory.

Elena allowed her eyes to analyze the picture, even though she had seen it many times before. She still had her copy of the photo, which had been thrown in a box buried along with the rest of belongings she didn't need, which her parents had taken to their house in Canada when they moved.

She remembered the day it was taken. It was her seventeenth birthday; Toni was off tour and planned a road trip to Florida as a birthday gift. It was meant as a surprise considering when she was teenager all she spoke about was wanting to return to Florida where her and her family originally lived before they moved when she was ten. Amelia had invited Nathan along. Nathan had been the only boyfriend Amelia actually openly liked—not that Elena had many that were worth mentioning. Just two others, but her relationship with Nathan McClane had been the only one that ended in good terms. At least, she thought it did.

The road trip to Florida was their last excursion before the issue between his parents got considerably worse and the divorce settlement was announced. Ending things had been a reluctant choice. She knew she had been falling for Nathan, but having a long-distance relationship would have been nothing but torture for them. Like her mother had told her, if you truly cared about someone, let them go.

She supposed that statement went for the second time also.

Elena didn't exactly leave him in the best approach; after all he was nearly begging her to come with him and join his camp. He was desperate and had it been any other circumstance, had it been any other time, she might have gone with him. Had she not developed a relationship with Daryl, she might have considered the thought.

However, as much as she cared for Nathan, giving him what he thought he needed wasn't something she had the ability to do. She remembered his change in character then, remembered his pleas and his hold on her. And then she remembered Daryl stepping in for her. It had been such a mess and yet, Daryl had _finally_ showed that he truly cared for her more than he initially made her believe.

And now, she quietly hoped he still did.

Almost on cue, Elena heard footsteps approach and she turned her gaze to her left, the battery operated lantern only illuminated a few feet ahead of her. Even so, she knew who it was before they even stepped into the light.

"Came to keep me company?"

"Heard you were stayin' here for two hours, thought ya might wanna break."

"The two hours was my suggestion. But company would be nice."

Daryl eyes left hers momentarily as he gazed around before throwing the strap of his crossbow over his head so it was secured on his back. "Why'd ya wanna stay in watch longer?"

"To give you guys a chance to get extra sleep," she answered. "That was meant for you too, y'know."

Daryl shrugged. "I'm fine."

"Or stubborn. Take your pick."

"And you ain't?" he remarked. "Ya still wake up at night. Could use more sleep than us."

She shook her head. "I don't expect the nightmares to go away anytime soon. I'm alright. I've been getting a lot more sleep than I've had in the past month or so."

Daryl sighed, seemingly convinced.

"Why are you really here, Daryl?"

He gazed at her and exhaled before walking a few steps. "I ain't fool enough to leave ya keepin' watch alone."

"So, in other words, you want to keep an eye on me."

He shrugged indifferently. "Call it what ya want."

"Over-protectiveness?"

He didn't say anything but gazed back at her, intensity seen in his eyes.

She gave him a small smile. "It's okay. I understand."

Daryl didn't say anything as his eyes lowered and he chewed the inside of his cheek.

He then gestured toward her. "What's that?"

The question was a quick change of subject, and for a moment Elena was confused until she followed his gaze to her palm. The photograph was still held in her hand and she cursed herself for not putting it away in the first place.

Daryl took a step forward and for a second she contemplated on telling him it was nothing.

_No more secrets_, her mind reminded her.

It was right. No more lying. Just honesty.

"It's the picture of me and Nathan."

"You kept it?" The question came out rough and quick before Daryl was even aware.

She frowned. "I wasn't going to throw it away."

He figured he had no right to assume she would, but seeing that photo still in her clutches wasn't exactly something Daryl was okay with either.

"Does that bother you?"

Daryl exhaled roughly before slightly turning away from her. "I don' care."

Elena watched him carefully. His relaxed posture had changed drastically in the couple of seconds she asked the question. Although his words were indifferent, his voice held a deeper meaning.

"It does bother you."

"I ain't jealous of that _prick_."

Her brows rose in that instant. She never said anything about him being jealous. It was a confession, buried within denial. His back was facing her, fidgeting with the cuffs of his denim shirt. But she could see how stiff his spine was and how tense his shoulders looked. She softened then.

"You don't need to be." Daryl glanced at her then. "I'm still here, aren't I?"

Something flashed before his eyes, acknowledged realization. Slowly, she could see his composure relax in the slightest and his gaze evolved into warmth.

"I don't think I ever thanked you," she said.

"For what?" his voice was quiet.

She stepped forward, closing the distance between them. "For being there when…things got out of hand."

Daryl frowned, understanding her words. "I didn't trust 'im. Didn't like 'im puttin' a hand on you, neither."

"I don't think Nathan would have done anything, but…you being there probably saved me from trouble."

"Pretty boy was hell bent on takin' you with 'im," he said. "Ya thought I didn't give a shit. Had to prove you wrong."

"Did you really think I was going to leave?"

For a long minute, Daryl didn't answer. Then his shoulders slightly slumped and his eyes darkened. "Yeah."

Elena saw the insecurity as clear as day. She saw what his past had molded him into. She didn't completely know everything, not that Daryl was ready to share his entire experience. And maybe he never will be. But she could see that the abuse he had gotten as a child had hurt him emotionally and physically, and the vulnerability in his eyes, that same vulnerability that he hid behind through anger and through pushing her away in the past, was there again.

She couldn't imagine what he grew up with, couldn't imagine the neglect he must have felt. She couldn't begin to understand, but, God, did she want to get rid of all that and make him feel wanted. Make him feel like he deserved so much more than he thought.

Ignoring the distance he had set between them in the past days, Elena challenged a step closer. He didn't move but his demeanor changed. She didn't allow that to discourage her. She made her actions quick then, before he changed his mind, and pressed her lips against his.

The touch brought forth familiarity and also the sense of nostalgia Elena wouldn't deny she definitely missed. Daryl's body went stiff against her and she decided to pull away then.

Daryl's eyes were on hers, his breaths coming out deep. There it was, that inner struggle in his gaze that Elena had grown accustomed to see. But there was something there, something else. Dark arousal.

Elena inhaled, her heart quickening on its own accord. Daryl had looked at her like that before, but somehow this was different, this was fierce. And Elena took that as encouragement. She leaned forward and pressed her lips against his again, angled so that it was just right, just like she remembered. All she wanted to do was taste him, to return that closeness they once had, was that too much to ask?

For an excruciatingly long minute, Daryl stayed stock frozen. And then he surrendered.

He began to move, the pressure of his lips finally working, slowly at first before his pace grew faster and more savage. Elena slid her hands over his shoulders up his neck where his hot skin warmed her fingertips. She then ran her tongue against his bottom lip, just for that added push, just a little bit more fuel in the fire. It was barely a second before he opened and devoured her mouth, his tongue clashing and dominating hers, re-exploring every inch of her. His hands gripped her waist as he backed her up the short distance against the wall, using it as leverage while his touch became untamed. And simultaneously, her actions mimicked his.

God, they were all over each other, griping and groping, that Elena's body shuddered with electrical excitement. The insatiable craving returned back full force, the sex drive that she had no word to describe completely taking control of her vitals. But she knew now what the word was, what this unbelievable sensation of sexual connection was called. It was _chemistry_. She didn't think that even existed, but if Daryl wasn't making her a believer now, then she had absolutely no faith at all.

_You need to stop this_.

The voice in the back of her head was so quiet; she barely could hear it over their raspy breathing. Or maybe she just didn't want to hear it. It had been too damn long for Daryl and her to finally pull down the wall between them, how could she possibly allow it to go up again?

_Be responsible_.

Elena ignored it, returning her focus back on Daryl's hands that were easing their way up her sides. She could feel his fingertips tremble against her, his heat that was burning through her shirt. His hands slid over her hip bones, her stomach, sliding behind to the curve of her back.

Although they had done this before, briefly explored one another in their short moments together, something about this felt new, felt forbidden. It was the abstinence between them, the rule they had set to keep things in control and to be careful and they were breaking it. Together.

_No. This isn't a game. Stop this before it goes too far._

Daryl's mouth on hers was bruising, wild and possessive, as if claiming and taking back what was rightfully his, like he was fighting a battle with an imaginary opposing force. No, it wasn't imaginary. She knew what he was fighting against. The photograph invaded back into her mind, the image of Nathan returning to memory. Forcibly, Elena pushed it back, griping Daryl and pulling so that he was hot and tight against her.

Maybe it was the estrogen and the excitement talking, but she could be his all he wanted.

Daryl made a sound deep within his throat. His body feverishly hot against her. And hard.

Elena shot her eyes open with alarm as logic finally barged and broke down the door of selfish need in her mind with brute force.

Daryl then parted from her, drawing in a breath and decisively began feasting on her neck, pressing his body so much tighter against her.

"Daryl," she began, wincing when her voice came out pathetically weak.

He didn't register her, nipping and sucking the crook of her neck to her most sensitive spot. Elena's breathing hitched, her eyes briefly closing as her body stretched underneath him from the shock of pleasure.

_No. No. Get some control._

Her breathing had gotten raspy, but Elena regained her focus and placed her hand against his chest in order to ease him back. His heart was thundering underneath her palm. For a second, she measured the beats. They were going the exact same pace as hers.

"Daryl," she said again, her voice stronger, "we need to slow down."

He didn't hear it the first time, but at the second attempt she said it, his body involuntarily tensed. It was throbbing, aching, wanting more, but his mind had finally returned long enough to knock some sense into him. Her movements paused also, her body stilled between him and the wall.

_Don't move_, he wanted to tell her. Or else stopping this again was going to be impossible.

For a long while, he stayed like that, worried that if he so much as moved an inch the want would return back full force once again. Where the hell was his mentality when this started? How the hell did he let it get this far?

It was the need, the reassurance that she still wanted him. That he could still claim her. That she was _his_.

Hell, when did he become so damn _needy_?

Carefully, Daryl nearly peeled himself off of her, they were so close. Elena stayed prompt against the wall and he quickly glanced up at her. Her eyes were shiny and big, her cheeks completely flushed and her lips a deep red.

His fingers began to twitch again and instantly balled them into fists. His heart was still pounding in his head. Daryl closed his eyes and turned away, pressing his fingers against his lids. He thought that could close his mind, drown out the ideas and images in his head that were formulating of her, none of them innocent.

"Daryl?" he heard her call behind him. "I'm sorry, it's just—"

"I _know_." He said, his voice unintentionally rough and final. He blinked for a second and looked back at her.

Elena stood a step away. Her hand had been reaching toward him, however, her advance had reluctantly ceased. Her brows were furrowed with worry. She looked momentarily vulnerable, but Daryl was beginning to read her a lot easier than he had been able to before. She didn't want to stop this as much as he did. That knowledge was enough to cause a throbbing pulse below his waist.

His libido was shot to shit. He needed space from her. Quick.

He pulled his crossbow from over his neck to his shoulder. "I'm gonna take watch outside," he said without looking at her.

"I don't think you should go by yourself." She sounded concerned.

Daryl frowned, but didn't reply. He glanced at her one final time before turning and heading to the exit. A pang of guilt suddenly hit him, so small that it took a moment for him to realize it. She didn't want him to go out there alone at night, but he needed to get out, he needed fresh air because the lingering heat of their hustled action was burning him.

He couldn't go back to the unit, and there was no way he could stay with her here. There was no way.

Daryl brought his hand to the slide to unlock the door. His hands were shaking, either from nerves or from the aftermath of what just happened. He wasn't sure.

He unlocked it, and stepped out.

"Be careful."

He stilled at Elena's plea. Slightly, he turned his head partially to her.

"Lock it behind me."

Daryl walked out into the cold air, the wind slamming the door closed behind him.


	30. Chapter 30

**Hello everyone! I wanted to apologize for the late update, it's been crazy busy where I am and I've just been all over the place. Plus the weather has been so nice, you can't blame me for wanting to go outside. ;) Anyway, wanted to exclaim the fact that I have reached 200 followers. Holy crap. The fact that I have so many people reading astonishes me. And as so, I'd like to do a little dedication to the readers that have reviewed and followed from the very beginning. Those lovely readers are: _Leyshla Gisel, XxAnimeCutiexX, and FanFicGirl10. _You have stuck with this story for so long and I wanted to thank you :) I wish I could do more (I figured a nude Daryl Dixon trophy would be nice, but I'm sure we all want that ;)). Instead, I give you Chapter 30 and hope that suffices. **

**And considering that I'm already that far in the story just impresses me because I have the attention span of a two year old. I'm sure there will be more inspiration when season 4 finally airs and the updates will come faster. I'm still battling minor writers block, so bare with me! Thank you everyone. Love y'all!**

**I take no credit for characters with an exception to my OCs.**

* * *

It almost felt like an eternity since Rick had been alone—_completely _alone, without the group being a few paces away or Daryl combing the perimeter with him. And it was a breath of fresh air. He didn't realize how much he missed being solitary, to regain that isolated time he rarely had now since the tightness of the group was an important aspect of survival. But God, being outside, even in the cold dead of winter, was something he desperately needed. He finally had a chance to clear his head of _everything_.

Although taking shelter in the storage units may not have been an idea that Rick was still all for, but he had to admit having rest from the roads was well needed. He no longer had to plan a route, scan areas to loot, areas to stay the night… All that he had to worry about was keeping guard of the group's shelter, and even that was a job that may not be necessarily needed. He understood vigilance was still an important thing; after all he made it clear that putting their guard down at any given time wasn't the wisest choice to make. Even so, Rick couldn't help but feel that being in a structured place with walls, fences and locks gave him some reassurance.

Walking along the expanse of the land, Rick thought about possible things they could do during their stay here. Majority of the units had been scavenged through, and unfortunately supplies found were limited. Clothes were essentially found, which was a good sign, including some camping gear such as sleeping bags and tents—which Rick assumed could be useful when spring came along. But now that the chores of rummaging through belongings of the units were slimming down, Rick knew he had to think of something else to occupy the group's time. People got antsy when there was nothing to do, and since they were going to be in Pearson Self-Storage a little longer, he needed something to tie the group down.

Considering the storm was finally letting up and Glenn had securely fortified the holes in the fences with proper cable wire they had found in a unit once owned by a supposed contractor, Rick had an idea for something that may be risky but also properly needed.

The group knew how to defend themselves quite well, but only few knew how to properly use a firearm. Back when they sheltered in Hershel's farm, Rick only had one chance to initiate target practice, and being comfortable with holding and using a gun was an important aspect that the group needed a lesson on. He thought a second lesson should be approached, especially for those that rarely were given the opportunity to take down walkers.

It was apparent that Daryl, Glenn, Hershel and T-Dog were four members that didn't necessarily need the training. Carl was a good shot, but Rick saw room for improvement. Maggie was comfortable with a pistol, but it wouldn't hurt to polish her aim. Elena had significantly improved with her use in the artillery, but Rick knew she needed to get comfortable with the bigger guns. Beth needed to be given the opportunity to use the weapon more. Carol was ready to receive a full lesson on the detail of the gun and to begin her first lesson in firing it. And Lori…

Lori had the baby to worry about.

Rick narrowed his eyes ahead, careful with where his thoughts decided to delve to now. Quickly, he focused back to the target practice proposition.

Since the area was lushly grand in scale, having live rounds going off may not be too much of a high risk. As had been mentioned before, they were in the middle of nowhere, and having someone or something hearing the gunshots wasn't very likely. A herd of walkers in this snow wasn't much to be concerned about, and survivors following the sounds of guns going off? Not much of a wise choice to make. That didn't mean Rick was going to be careless, he'd have the others keeping their eyes and ears peered.

Unfortunately, the target practice meant loss of ammo, which was an invaluable item. Rick had found a detailed map through the files of the front office which marked the closest town nearby. Of course, the closest town was nearly hours away, but it contained both a gun store and a possible pharmacy. They'd need to make a run to gather what they could before the gun lesson would be issued, and that meant having to leave the building two men short to hold down the location's defense.

* * *

"Okay, press that down—yeah like that and the slide should come out."

"Okay, what's the next step?"

"The spring, take that out too."

Lori couldn't help but smile as she watched her son, who sat on his knees beside Elena while instructing her on how to take apart her pistol. Lori had grown comfortable with Carl having one, seeing how responsible he was with the weapon and also knowledgeable. Elena had asked him specifically to teach her how to disassemble and clean it and Lori let the sensation of a proud mother envelope her. She also accepted the gratitude for Elena to give Carl something to do before he insisted on going outside in the cold with his father.

Lori may be comfortable with him carrying a pistol around, but leaving her watchful eyes was still a reluctant privilege she was willing to give him. Even though he had grown quickly in front of her eyes in the past months, she still saw a little boy she wanted to protect from the world. Of course, Carl didn't like that very much.

He was becoming somewhat rebellious through the days and since Lori no longer had much support from her husband Rick, keeping a firm hold on her parental authority was a difficult thing to do. It also didn't help that the pregnancy was weighing on her both emotionally and physically.

She was utterly exhausted and strained, and her hormones weren't helping her get through the nights easily. She worried often about Rick and the lack of sleep he got. And laying there in the unit by herself with only Carl and Carol by her, she found herself keeping awake and imagining perfect scenarios in her head of Lori and Rick being able to rekindle their relationship. She thought of ways to speak to him privately, which she had not had the benefit of having in a long time, not with him constantly out and about doing what he can to keep the group safe. And maybe it was a selfish thought, but for once she just wanted Rick to herself.

When Carol suddenly sighed aloud beside her, Lori decided to shove her wishful thoughts to the back of her mind.

"I think we overlooked something," Carol said as she rummaged through their medical supply.

Lori lowered the clothes she had been folding and averted her eyes to her. "Like what?"

"We're low on vitamin tablets, namely vitamin C," she replied. "And you're down to your last bottle of prenatal vitamins."

"That's not possible, I was sure there's another bottle in there."

Carol shook her head. "I've double checked. The one you have now is your last one."

Lori frowned, sub-consciously rubbing her belly. Carol then lifted her eyes to her.

"We'll need to have Rick make a run into town." Lori only nodded her head, so Carol continued. "And it wouldn't hurt if he could search for cough syrup just in case one of us comes down with a cold. I know at least every winter I have gotten sick at least once."

Lori nodded her head again. "I'll have a talk with him."

"Are you sure?" Carol asked with concern.

Carol knew about the tension in Lori and Rick's marriage, after all confiding in her was all Lori had. She had discussed about her worries with his behaviour, with Carl and with the baby. Carol had given her words of encouragement, which definitely went a long way for her. It was things Lori really needed to hear and support that she currently was missing.

"Yeah," Lori said as confidently as she could. And even then, the confidence fell short.

Then, they heard the front entrance open.

"Now's your chance."

Lori gazed over her shoulder at the sound of footsteps. It took a moment for her to muster the courage she had long lost. She pulled herself to her feet, stepping out of the unit. Rick continued passed her and down the hall.

"Rick," she called out.

He paused then, his head doing the slightest jerk at her voice. Lori swallowed, managing a couple of steps toward him until he turned to her. His blue eyes met hers and Lori found the gaze piercing. She inhaled a shaky breath and blinked, trying to remind herself that this was her husband and she had no reason to be afraid of talking to him.

"We're…" Lori lowered her eyes, gesturing behind her. "We're low on vitamins. We could use a run into town."

Rick averted his eyes momentarily, seemingly thoughtful.

"I also need more supply for…" She inhaled and strengthened her voice. "For the baby. I'm down to my last bottle of prenatal supplements."

Rick nodded his head slowly, but his sight appeared elsewhere. "Make a list. Daryl and I are gonna make a run this afternoon for ammunition. We'll stop by the pharmacy."

Lori opened her mouth to reply, to verbally thank him with genuine gratitude, but in that instant he turn away from her, continuing his decent down the hall without another word.

* * *

"That ain't a bad idea."

"The group needs the weapon trainin'. Can't go half-cocked with only a few of us knowin' how to use a gun," Rick said. "Everyone should be prepared to defend themselves."

Daryl nodded his head in agreement. The plan for the group to take part in target practice was just proposed and he'd been immediately for the idea. Although Daryl had no ill will with protecting the group, having to watch out for everyone was a difficult task. The weapons training was now a necessity and not having one weak link in the group would benefit far more when the weather got nicer and walkers returned being the initial threat.

Plus, Daryl was a lot more comfortable if Elena practiced her accuracy. Although he knew she was well off taking care of herself where handheld weapons were concerned, when it came to using her pistol Daryl always had one eye on her. Maybe it was a paranoid protective response, but he wasn't yet confident in thinking that she was capable of handling the firearm without missing a shot. And missing that one shot could mean game over, for not just her but for the entire group also.

"How many of us are goin' for the run?" Daryl asked.

"Just us," Rick said, resting his hand on his hips. "I'll have T, Glenn and Hershel take care of things here 'til we get back."

Daryl narrowed his eyes slightly at that. They'd be gone for a good amount of the day what with the long travel to town and through the snow, Daryl was unsure whether leaving the building half protected was such a great plan. Without being boastful, Daryl knew that him and Rick were the strongest of the bunch and leaving to make a quick run would leave the others somewhat vulnerable.

"We're leavin' this afternoon."

Exhaling, Daryl nodded his head.

Rick appeared to have already made his decision, and all Daryl could do was trust him.

"We should take the time now to get one of the trucks ready," Rick informed.

Daryl took that as an order. With the discussion over, Daryl decided to go ahead and get his things packed for the long drive. He returned into the self-storage halls, navigating his way back to his make-shift room. For a moment, he glanced down the hall to the other units, briefly wondering if Elena was still getting a gun cleaning lesson from Carl. For a mild second, Daryl questioned the fact as to why she hadn't asked him to teach her. He wouldn't have minded considering it was an important lesson for her to learn. However, his question was instantly explained and he felt like an idiot for forgetting about last night and the reason he had been keeping himself too busy to even see her.

Momentarily, he narrowed his eyes at the thought, still torn with the way he had left her last night. As first impressions went, Daryl knew he appeared angry when they stopped their rushed actions. He knew because the concern on her face gave way for exactly what was on Elena's mind. Daryl was angry, but not at her. Definitely not at her. He was pissed off at himself with the way things went. His dream the morning of should have been warning enough that he needed to keep control and restraint and he still failed. He was so ready for it, so ready to just end the celibacy right there and then that had Elena not stopped it when she did, he would have not had the willpower to do so.

And because he was a weak, pathetic asshole, when he went out and left her for watch outside, he went straight to the Dodge Ram, to Merle's Triumph and grabbed his last whiskey bottle. The burn of alcohol down his throat was exactly what he needed. It had taken him all his strength to not down the entire bottle so he could drown out any memory of what happened, to numb his feelings for the situation because what he was feeling that very moment had brought forth confusion.

Being out there in the cold night, sitting on the tailgate of the Dodge pickup with a half empty bottle in his grasp, he felt miserably alone.

Daryl had always been alone, why was this time any different?

Because he still wanted to spend the night with her.

Slightly shaking his head, Daryl tried to get rid of his thoughts and entered inside his unit to grab his belongings. He took his rucksack, throwing in extra bottles of water and his poncho inside before throwing it over his shoulder. Daryl returned his crossbow on his back and turned and stepped out.

There, he nearly collided into someone.

Just as surprised, the individual stumbled on their step and gazed up at him with hazel eyes.

"Daryl," Elena addressed and her shoulders relaxed.

In contradictory, he stiffened and side stepped away from her line of direction. Elena eyes left his and she entered inside. He hadn't seen her since last night and Daryl was unsure of what to say, so he kept silent.

"Glad to see you're alright," she then said, but her voice sounded intentionally blank.

"What?" Daryl asked her, his brows furrowed with confusion.

"I waited up for you last night," she said and returned her eyes on him with hard eyes. "But you didn't come back."

Instantly, he lowered his gaze. He didn't have the courage to tell her he passed out inside the Dodge Ram after the whiskey had made him heedless enough. And admittedly, he was embarrassed by it.

"I was worried." Her voice was soft now. "Where were you?"

"Keepin' watch…"

"All night?"

_No._ "Yeah."

Elena gazed at him for a long time, her lips set in a tight line and Daryl knew that she didn't believe him. But she didn't say a word, her eyes leaving and lowering from his. She began chewing on her bottom lip, something she did by habit when she was thinking heavily on something. Then she parted her lips, her eyes gazing steadily passed him.

"This is hard for me too Daryl," she whispered and met his eyes once again. "Just so y'know."

Daryl straightened at that. Seeing her last night, with the way she looked at him just before he left her on her own, he knew that stopping their time together wasn't necessarily something she truly wanted, and that knowledge was hard enough to bear. But now, having her saying it point blank that this whole thing between them was difficult as it was for him? It was both gratifying and terrifying at the same time. Gratifying in the sense that his need was reciprocated with the same urge from her—which, Daryl would admit, was a hell of an ego boost. And terrifying, because they were both fighting a losing battle.

"Is that why you're packing your things?"

He wrinkled his brow, confused at the question until he remembered his rucksack on his shoulder. She was frowned at him, her face desolate. She thought he was moving out of the unit.

"No," he said quickly, surprised at his haste in easing her expression. "Rick wants to make a run into town."

"A run? Isn't the next town hours away?"

He nodded. "Which is why we gotta head out soon."

"Just you two?" She was thoughtful for a second. "You guys are going out in the storm…"

Daryl exhaled roughly. Although he acted annoyed every time she showed any concern for him, a part of him couldn't help but like the attention. "Don' worry, we'll be back 'fore dark."

Elena didn't reply and her gaze looked momentarily distant. Daryl frowned.

"What's wrong?"

She shook her head, a fake smile tracing her lips. "Nothing, just thinking of something Carl said to me this morning. Nothing to worry about." She sobered then. "But having you both go out there doesn't seem right to me."

"Why?"

"I think the entire group would feel safer staying back if one of you is here. I'm not saying that Hershel, T and Glenn can't handle things until you get back, but…you never know," she explained. Then her face became serious. "Plus, you can't guarantee that you'll be back in time before it gets dark."

Ultimately, she was right. The storm had died down considerably, but Daryl was sure the roads would be bad. With heavy sleet and the continued falling snow, their drive into town might take longer than what would be originally assumed.

And not just that, there was also something that flashed before her eyes, something that she was forcibly hiding. Reading Elena was getting easier, however, this time was harder than most. He couldn't tell whether there was a deeper meaning burrowed deep in her words or not.

"Ain't gotta be worried 'bout us," he tried to reassure.

She sighed. "Easy for you to say, you're not the one having to wait for you to come back."

That was it. She was afraid for him.

If Daryl really thought further into this, it would be the first time they'd be separated since she bruised her ribs and was instructed to stay back with the others. He knew she didn't like it then, even though she had quietly accepted her denied position in the scavenging. She always had that same worry on her face when she'd watch them go. Daryl had caught it many times, but for some reason this time bothered him more so than before.

Daryl lowered his eyes, unsure of what to say.

"Go. I don't want to keep you when you got a long drive to get ready for," she said. She smiled then, but it didn't reach her eyes.

For a moment, Daryl contemplated on whether to talk about this further. He could see the conflict in her gaze although she had appeared to have accepted it. But as much as Daryl wanted to ease her thoughts, he had no way of doing so. She was going to be worried no matter how sincere he was in saying that they will be fine.

* * *

"You are not going and that's _final_."

"I can take care of _myself_."

"And as long as you are my son, you are not to leave this building. Do you understand me?"

"But Dad is going—"

"I don't care, Carl. I'm sure your father would agree with me on this too."

Carl pursed his lips and rolled his eyes. His mom didn't understand at all. What did she expect him to do? He was sick of doing the minimal work and scrounging through units for things they couldn't even use.

Earlier, he had heard Elena and Daryl talking in their unit, something about him and his dad going off on a run into town. Apparently it was only the two of them and Carl thought he should offer back up, after all, they needed it. Going into town, who knew what they would find? Carl was a good shot and he wasn't afraid of taking out walkers. But as soon as he spoke about it to his mother she had been completely opposed at the idea.

It wasn't fair. No matter how many times Carl tried to prove to her that he was growing up and responsible, it's like she ignored him and always treated him like a child. His father didn't. He always told Carl to take care of the group before he would leave, always told him to keep his mom safe and giving him the responsibility of safeguarding those that stayed behind.

But this time, Carl wanted to be on the offense.

"Stop treating me like a kid!"

His mother gazed at him sternly. "Just because I allow you to carry a gun, Carl, it doesn't make you any less of a child."

"_Dad_ doesn't think so," Carl remarked.

He knew very well that would have struck a nerve. His mom and dad hadn't really talked in a while. Dad had been busy with keeping everyone safe and Mom kept her time worrying about Carl's potential brother or sister, which rarely left room to discuss anything. Carl had seen them fight before, but when they didn't speak at all to one another, that was far worse. Elena had told him once that although they might fight often, it was only because they really loved each other. Carl wasn't so sure. Ever since Shane died, things were different. At first it had worried him. Were his parents going to split up? Then he thought how stupid that sounded. How were Mom and Dad going to get a divorce in this world?

Carl wasn't dumb. He knew they were angry at each other. Angry about _something_. He still didn't know what it was. He tried listening in to the short conversations they did have, but it never left room for Carl to properly speculate. So, all he could do was keep himself busy. Make himself useful so that he wasn't the weak little boy he use to be. And right now he wanted to go with his father out for a run into town and help supply whatever they needed.

As he expected, his mother faltered at the statement. Then she furrowed her brow. "I don't want to hear about this anymore. I made my decision. You are staying _here_."

"We'll see about that."

Carl turned on his heel, ignoring his mom as she called after him while he made his decent down the hall.

Whatever. All he had to do was ask Dad. Carl was sure he would at least _listen_ to him.

Carl didn't even register his mother when she practically screamed his name, which caught the attention of Elena, who had just stepped out of her unit she shared with Daryl to see what the commotion was about. She gazed at him with raised brows and he quickly brushed passed her.

Elena took a brief step back before Carl nearly knocked her side. The boy was angry, that much was clear.

She returned her gaze from where he came, seeing Lori stare after him with a tight jaw. However, her brows were furrowed with worry and her eyes glistened with regret. Elena understood. She had heard the entire thing several minutes after Daryl had left to get things packed for Rick's and his excursion. She stayed quietly in the unit, keeping her opinions to herself while they argued.

On one hand, she understood Lori's guard in Carl's safety; after all, Elena was also worried about Daryl going out there for such a long period of time. Even so, she couldn't help but slightly agree with Carl's frustration. Lori barely allowed him to build up his argument on the suggestion that he'd go with his father, immediately saying 'no' without letting the boy say what he had to say. That's all he wanted, was for his mother to listen to him. But Lori didn't allow him the chance.

Relatively, it was none of her business. This was an issue that dealt personally with the Grimes family and it had nothing to do with her. Still, Elena couldn't help but relate to the concern on Lori's face. Carl wanted to be independent and was determined to grow faster than how he aged and Elena supposed that wasn't entirely a bad thing. However, as much as Carl wanted to be his own man, he still had a mother that loved and worried about him and putting her in this position was selfish on his part. If he wanted to be treated like an adult then the mature thing would be to acknowledge the fact that he was all his mother had left instead of treating her like she was always controlling him.

Elena looked back toward the direction Carl had gone and she knew that he was off to go find his father. Decisively, Elena followed.

"Carl! Hey, wait."

Elena had to jog in order to catch up to youngest of the Grimes. The boy was upset, stomping his feet down the hall and heading toward the back exit. But he stopped at mid-step, only turning his head over his shoulder to look at her. His blue eyes were defiant and annoyed.

"What?" he said. Although his posture was stiff with irritation, his voice was calm.

Elena slowed her steps and frowned at him.

"Did my mom tell you to get me?"

"No," she answered. "I came to make sure you're okay."

Carl's eyes lowered and he turned his sights ahead, his backside completely facing her.

"I'm not your mom, Carl. You can talk to me. You use to before."

He took a moment before replying. "It's not fair. My mom doesn't get it."

Elena took a step forward and Carl sighed, finally turning toward her. There was a shine over his eyes and she recognized them as frustrated tears. Carl always tried so hard to be grown up, and yet he still was just a child.

"Your mom gets it," she tried to reassure. "You just have to give her a chance."

"She doesn't even _listen_ to me!"

"She's worried about you, Carl. You know that."

He shook his head and crossed his arms in refusal. "I can help protect the group. I'm good with a gun. _I_ was the one teaching you how to clean one."

Elena sighed. "It's not about whether you know how to use a gun or not."

"Yeah it is," he refuted. "My mom doesn't think that I can take care of myself. I _can_."

Elena watched him for a moment, seeing the burn of conflict in his eyes and she softened. "Be honest with me Carl, this isn't just about whether you can take out walkers, is it?"

In that instant, the boy looked away seemingly embarrassed at being found out, however, when he returned his eyes back on her, his expression was set. "My dad is going out there with only Daryl. He needs someone else to go with him."

"They'll be fine—"

"You're just saying that," he immediately cut her off. "I heard you and Daryl talking. You don't want him to go either, right?"

Elena's eyes slightly widened as she was taken aback by his bold question. She didn't know he had been eavesdropping, but then again, how else could he have found out? Elena shifted uncomfortably on her step, less so for the reason that her concern for Daryl was highly acknowledged by Carl, but because he was diverting his reasoning against her to back up his argument. And knowing this, he was a smart kid.

Finding out that Daryl was going out for an afternoon run into town with Rick; Elena wanted to completely deny that he'd go. Of course, she knew that she could never make Daryl do anything. Even so, having to wait here for hours until their return was going to be excruciating and she knew that that time would be occupied with pessimistic thoughts of imaginary circumstances that could obstruct them from returning back. Daryl was a strong, fearless man, but Elena would always worry about him, no matter how much he tried to convince her he'd be okay. And she knew that that was exactly what he was trying to do earlier. But a part of her wanted to go with him on the run.

Quickly scrambling her brain for a response, Elena said, "No. But the group needs supplies and that's more important than what I want right now."

"My dad is the one that always goes out there," Carl replied. "It's always _him_. He risks his life all the time. I want to help him."

"Do you know why he does it?"

Carl furrowed his brow at her question and narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. His gaze lowered and he didn't say anything.

Elena bent on her knee so she could meet his gaze properly and his blue eyes boar into hers. "He does it so you don't have to. So none of us has to. He risks his life to keep you and your mom safe, Carl. Your mom knows this. I think it's you that needs to understand."

Something flashed over his eyes and he seemed to contemplate her words for a bit before his lips straightened. "I'm still gonna ask my dad."

Carl was set in his ways and Elena knew there was nothing more she could say that would change his mind. When she stood back up, Carl turned from her and continued his decent toward the back door that led outside.

* * *

"He looks really upset."

Elena crossed her arms and frowned at Glenn's claim. Majority of the group was outside to the back of the building where the Dodge pickup was getting well equipped for the ride out into town. T-Dog and Daryl were packing the pickup with the bare essentials—mostly flashlights, blankets and tools as insurance in case circumstances caused by the weather were thrown their way. Glenn and Maggie stood alongside Elena, the three of them watching while Carl argued with his father, too far for them to hear. However, their body language was enough to decipher what was being said.

"I talked to him, but I doubt what I said really made a difference." Elena sighed. "He wants to go with Rick."

Glenn frowned. "I get why Lori doesn't want him to go. I mean, last time he went with just Rick and Shane and he got shot."

"That was an accident," Maggie remarked quietly.

Elena watched the two as they exchanged short glances. She had heard about this before, but only briefly when Carl mentioned it. She hadn't pressed on the matter considering it happened way before she even met and joined the group; however, that event appeared to have a major impact on the relationship between Lori, Rick and Carl. Elena supposed—although this was just a guess—that Carl was accidently shot on Rick's watch and because of this, Lori was reluctant with him watching over their son when she wasn't around.

"Carl is pretty good with his aim," Glenn admitted. "But it's dangerous out there. The cold probably slowed down the walkers, but who knows what else could be in town."

Elena furrowed her brow with worry at that before her eyes drifted toward Daryl. He was throwing his rucksack into the backseat of the pickup. He slammed the door shut.

"Carl!"

At Rick's shout, everyone returned their eyes toward the father and son. Carl had turned away from his father, shrugging his hand off his shoulder and began walking away from him. Rick watched him go, his jaw clenched tight but concern settled in his eyes. His son walked briskly back inside the building without a look in anyone's direction.

"I think it's safe to say he's not going," Glenn said.

Elena straightened when she saw Rick was walking toward them. The concern was gone from his eyes, replaced with sharpness. His steps were quick and hard over the thin layer of snow on the pavement. He pinched the bridge of his nose for a moment, looking back at the door Carl had escaped to. When he reached the three, he exhaled a long breath.

"Change of plans," he announced. "Elena, I need you to go into town with Daryl."

"What—"

He didn't allow her to finish, his eyes fixed on Glenn. "Mark down the directions to the nearest town on the map for them. Maggie, I need you to get Carol to put together two days worth of food, godforbid they get stranded because of the weather."

Maggie nodded her head. "Okay."

When the two left to follow their orders, Rick gazed at Elena steadily. "Get your things packed. Weapons, warm clothes, whatever you need. Daryl knows what we need and I have Lori writin' down a list of things you need to find in the town's pharmacy."

Reluctantly, Elena nodded her head.

"I'm stayin' behind to take care of things here." Momentarily, his eyes drifted back toward the back door. "I expect you two to come back by nightfall. Try to pace yourselves and don't waste time lootin' other parts of the town. I don't want you two out there longer than is necessary, especially if another storm rolls in."

"Okay." Elena nodded again.

Rick gave a nod also, his eyes lowering before he turned away from her, heading toward the back entrance of the building. Elena let out a breath, where it came out in a small cloud of vapor and averted her eyes back toward the Dodge. Daryl stood facing toward her, his eyes following after Rick's retreating figure then they met hers. She could see from his gaze that he had heard the quick alternation of Rick's previous plans, along with a sense of hesitation.

She knew where that hesitation had come from. It was identical to the one she saw last night, just after she had stopped their well needed chance to be together. Her mind was still muddled over that night, with the way it escalated and the way it ended. She had no doubt that her stopping it before it got too far was a responsible effort; even so, she regretted the reaction it had caused from Daryl. She missed being close to him, but now she was second guessing herself on whether her initiating what happened last night was such a wise decision. Her intention wasn't to provoke him in any way. Elena didn't want to stop it, but she knew she had to.

Last night, Daryl had left her almost in a rush, ignoring her concern with him being out at night on his own. She waited for him for as long as she could, even stayed alongside Glenn during his shift. And when he didn't come back, she decided to retire for the night and wait for him inside their unit instead. She barely slept a wink last night, too worried about Daryl to even drift off. As much as she was condescending toward him in the morning, she was relieved to see that he was actually okay.

Now, with that looming between them and Rick's decision on Elena taking his place, she had no idea where things were going to go from here.

She had gotten her wish. She was going with Daryl on the run. Alone.

* * *

Elena sat in the driver's seat of the Dodge Ram, looking over the list of provisions in Lori's handwriting while she waited for Daryl. Most of what was on the list were vitamins and prenatal supplements for Lori, along with added medicines related to cold illness such as congestion and cough. It made sense to get some cough syrup in case a member of the group caught a cold from the weather.

When she heard a knock on her window, Elena folded the list back into her coat pocket. Spotting Carol out the window, she quickly stepped out.

"Here's two days worth of food for you two," Carol said, lifting the box into her hands.

"Thanks Carol," Elena replied and opened the door to the backseat to slide it into the floor of the truck. "Hopefully we won't need them."

Carol smiled briefly. "Rick says you should be back before nightfall."

"That's the plan. I still don't really know why he chose me out of everyone to go with Daryl."

"You two work well together. Anyway, Rick is more concerned about Carl right now."

"I guess you're right." Elena crossed her arms and peered passed Carol's shoulder when she heard the back door slam open. Daryl, Glenn and T-Dog stepped out.

Carol followed her gaze and a sad smile creased her lips. She returned her gaze back to her. "Take care of him out there, okay?"

Elena nodded her head slowly. "I will."

"Let's go," Daryl said aloud as he approached, jerking his chin toward the Dodge.

Carol stepped back while he went around to the passenger side and got in. Elena opened her door.

"Be careful out there," Glenn called out.

T-Dog followed suit, "Stay safe."

Elena gave them a quick reassuring smile before jumping inside the pickup. Briefly she glanced at Daryl in the passenger seat. His attention was set on the map that had been marked with the trail Glenn said they should follow, his crossbow nestled between his legs.

Elena turned the key in the ignition, springing the Dodge Ram to life before pressing on the accelerator and manoeuvring out of Pearson Self-Storage property. She followed back into the road, taking the route opposite from the one they took coming here. It would take them a couple of hours to get into town, assuming that the weather wasn't too bad, but Elena tried to take her time, worried about how bad the roads were now that there was no one in civilization salting and maintaining the safety of them. She was a confident driver, but she didn't often drive in winter weather this bad.

Following along the road, she glanced around the scenery, at the trees slightly buried in snow and the occasional debris such as rusted vehicles or parts of one. Resting one hand on the steering wheel, she turned her eyes to Daryl momentarily. He was gazing out his window silently.

"Where else are we going besides the pharmacy? Rick said you knew," she asked him.

He continued to stare out the window. "There's a gun shop in town."

Elena furrowed her brow, curiously so. "We're not exactly in high demand for ammo."

Daryl shook his head and averted his eyes toward the windshield. "Rick wants the group to take target practice, teach everyone how to use a gun."

That made sense. Although ammunition was an important item to horde, at the moment it wasn't high priority considering walkers lacked the threat they were once acknowledged as. Target practice sounded like good idea. Elena wanted to master her aim as much as possible. She had gotten a hell of a lot better with a pistol, but she thought more practice wouldn't do her any harm.

"Ya need to get used to usin' a bigger gun."

Elena turned her gaze to him and faltered. She was comfortable with a pistol, but using anything with more firepower made her uneasy. When she had been traveling with Toni she carried with her an AKM assault rifle that Toni managed to steal from one of the highjackers that he escaped from. Elena held it, but she never fired it. Maybe she was sticking to what she was most comfortable, but having to rewire your accuracy with something that hda more force and recoil was a little discouraging.

Nonetheless, Elena nodded her head in agreement. She drifted her eyes down toward his crossbow lying steadily between his legs and a grin curved her lips. "You're not going to teach me how to shoot your crossbow again, are you?"

Daryl scoffed lightheartedly. "Need more skill for that." His eyes scanned her briefly. "Ya ain't got 'nough muscle to pull the string to load it, anyhow."

There was slight teasing hidden in his voice and a wide smile spread her lips. Elena returned her eyes to him and for a moment they held eye contact before Daryl quickly looked away. And if Elena hadn't been looking she might have missed the subtlety of embarrassment on his face.

She had second thoughts about going with Daryl alone on this run. After last night that lingering tension was back between and testing them. Elena worried that the space would be uncomfortable once again, even though she had confessed to him that this whole abstinence thing was difficult for her also. And that space was crucial if they were to set themselves with a job that included watching each other's backs in the upcoming dangers. But Elena realized something then. No matter what was going on between them, whether it was arguments or misunderstandings, they always had the ability to separate personal matters from tasks handed to them. And that was highly important to her. Elena never wanted her relationship with Daryl to become a thorn on the side of the group's initial survival. It was the separation of priorities that she was beginning to understand and grasp.

* * *

The drive was long and unsteady. The roads were terribly kept that at times Elena had to slow down in order to twist around objects that bulged from the snow. A popped tire was the last thing they needed to deal with. The snowfall was picking up again that Elena had to put the windshield wipers on medium speed in order to be able to see ahead. They had spotted signs for the nearest town, which was six miles down. According to the clock on the dashboard they were making ample time.

Daryl rarely talked if not at all, which was fine for Elena. At the moment she was too focused on steering the Dodge through clear paths while following the directions Glenn had laid out. Occasionally they had spotted walkers out on the side of the road, stumbling through the packed snow and frost bitten. Elena had no doubt that this winter was a curse and yet a blessing at the same time.

After a good twenty minutes, Elena eased on the accelerator, spotting a blue sign up ahead.

WELCOME TO GILLIS SPRINGS

POPULATION 1,366

Elena followed the road into town, studying the backwash empty streets. The place was a ghost town. Trucks and cars alike turned over or on their sides, some appearing to be nothing but rust or burnt metal. The Dodge pickup bumped along the road, hitting potholes and cracks that Elena wasn't sure that were there before or after the outbreak.

"Where are we headed to first?" she asked, her eyes locked on the corpse of a woman crawling from the side of the road as she passed.

"The shop," Daryl answered quickly. "Turn here."

Twisting the steering wheel, Elena turned the Dodge through an intersection, keeping her eyes peered at the many shops that stood shoulder to shoulder. Unfortunately, majority looked to have been once looted. The front windows were shattered, some of the front entrances swinging open from the wind.

Elena frowned. She had a bad feeling that there wouldn't be much they would find here.

Spotting large signs for the town's official gun shop, Elena turned into the parking lot and slowed the truck to a stop. Daryl jumped out of the pickup before she even turned off the engine. Momentarily, Elena gazed around the lot for any movement. A few stragglers roamed around nearby buildings, but not close enough to cause alarm. Elena reached into the back for her necessities, turned off the ignition and exited to the outside.

Daryl gestured toward her. "C'mon."

Elena jogged after him, crowbar in hand as he walked toward the barred entrance. He nudged the door with his foot, where it gave way and squealed open. Daryl glanced at her for a second before entering inside, crossbow raised.

The gun shop was dark, dingy and ultimately empty. The walls that once hung an assortment of artillery, from handguns to sniper rifles were clear, leaving behind bare and cracked dry wall. The isles were only left behind reminiscence of equipment most Elena didn't recognize. Daryl sauntered inside slowly, checking the gaps of the isles before heading toward the back. The shop was a small layout that it took barely any time at all to clear out the area.

The place was vacant and Daryl immediately got to work in searching the back counter for any leftover ammo that could be lying around. When Elena heard the slam of boxes against the counter, she knew that Daryl thankfully found some. She let him to it, deciding to look around the shop for anything that she was sure that they could use. She glanced on the floor, catching the shine of something metallic reflecting the light from outside. Bending on her knee, she realized it was a couple of stray bullets left on the floor. Elena picked at them with her fingers and shoved them in her pocket before carrying on. Daryl would let her know if any firearm they had would take them.

At the end corner of the shop, a spot of colour caught Elena's eye and she walked toward a couple of arrows that were still assembled against the wall. The fletches were yellow, the shaft a pitch black with white text along the length.

Elena took a step closer in order to read it.

_Horton._

The name was familiar, and it was so long ago since she heard it that Elena was surprised she even remembered it at all. That was what Daryl had called his crossbow the third night she spent with the group.

Reaching for the bolts, Elena took them from the wall one by one when she heard Daryl call out her name. Hastily, she made her way back to him.

Daryl still stood behind the counter, fidgeting with something in his hand. When his eyes lifted to her, he offered something in his palm.

"Keep it in yer pocket."

Lowering her eyes to it, she recognized it as an extra clip to her Glock 17, already loaded with the maximum eight rounds it could carry.

"Thanks," she replied.

"C'mere," he said suddenly, jerking his head.

Elena took a step closer and he reached for her backpack still around her shoulder and began shoving in the new acquired boxes of ammo he had found. She only caught a few glimpses but it appeared he had found a good set for each firearm the group currently owned.

"Oh, here." Elena lifted the bolts in her hand.

Daryl hesitated for a second, before taking them and giving her a stiff nod of gratitude. He placed the arrows into his rucksack and signalled at the door for them to leave.

Making her way back to the door, Elena reached to swing it open when the ominous sounds of moaning ceased her movements. Elena stilled. The door drew open.

In that instant, she threw her back against the wall behind the door, just as a chorus of drunken footsteps and groans became more prominent. She shot her eyes toward Daryl, who was now knelt down behind the counter, his eyes peeking out from over top. When they met hers, he gave her quick look, one that was demanding her not to move and Elena obediently did so.

One by one, four walkers entered inside the shop, their ripped and worn out clothes dragging behind them. It was difficult for Elena to classify their gender considering they were all comparably thin with stringy dead hair on their scalps and their clothes nothing but dirty rags over their bones.

Elena held her breath, both hands now tightening around the end of her crowbar as she watched them sharply. They stumbled in the choreography of drunken men, gazing around with pale eyes as if they were momentarily lost. They were so close that the smell of decay was beginning to make Elena lose her composure, but she tried to keep still, afraid to alert them of her presence. The shop was small and dodging all four walkers wouldn't be a wise or easy strategy to undertake.

She glanced back at Daryl, unsure of what to do. He was still as she had last seen him, watching the walkers like that of a hunter studying its prey with calculated intent.

How did the walkers know to come in here? Daryl and her hadn't made enough noise that could be heard from the outside, at least she didn't think so. Was it their scent? Did a person's sense of smell heighten when they turned into a walker? There were so many questions to the dead's behaviour that Elena could only think of everything theoretically.

Her mind then returned back to the tactic she needed to plan. She was out in the open, the only thing safe guarding her were the positions of the walkers that stood with their backs facing her. Elena could step around to take cover in one of the isles behind the shelves, but she knew that would do her no good. One little noise would alert the cadavers and as soon as they knew fresh prey was in their area of reach their slow movements would take a drastic turn into hasty and primal rushes of attack.

She kept still, nervously breathing shaky breaths as she quietly could. Her heart was pounding so hard that she worried they would be able to hear it.

Then the last walker suddenly shifted and paused. It stood a couple of feet in front of Elena, craning it's neck as it gapped it's mouth opened and exhaled a horrid breath. Elena stopped breathing, watching as it continued to turn so far that she could see its side profile. Her body froze.

The walker caught sight of her, twisting its body as its pale eyes boar into hers. Thin lips pulled back behind blackened teeth and it growled, spurting forward.

It was all by instinct when Daryl stood, aiming his crossbow passed the other walkers that grew alert from his sudden movement. His mind immediately ignored them, only alarmed at the danger Elena was suddenly in and he fired an arrow. The shot pierced the back of the walker's head and it dropped violently, Elena dodging the corpse as it came down.

Daryl pulled back as the three walker's stumbled with quick steps toward him. There was a small gap between him and the counter, which was the only thing keeping them from getting closer. Their arms outstretched toward him, swinging around in front of his face with bony, grey hands that grasped at air.

Elena quickly moved, positioning herself behind one of the walkers. One of them twisting around, spotting and assessing her as reachable meat and came at her. Elena swung her crowbar as hard as she could. The curve of the tool slammed against the walker's jaw and she heard a sickening crack as it fell to the floor. Quickly, she jumped forward, towering over the walker and swung again, this time aiming the sharp edge into its skull. It stopped moving.

When Elena turned back to Daryl, one of the walkers that had been reaching as far as it could toward him staggered forward, falling over the counter's surface and into the small gap with Daryl.

Daryl grunted as he heard the hiss and felt a tight grip around his ankle. His back was still firmly planted against the wall behind him. He held his crossbow away, unable to reload it with the other walker still reaching out for him. Instantly, Daryl lifted his boot, fighting against the strength of the walker at his feet and he dropped his heel hard into the back of its head. One hit and it was still moving. Daryl stomped at it again. And again. Until the skull caved in at the forth hit.

Then, Daryl was suddenly tugged forward and he stumbled, his eyes shooting straight ahead as the last walker held onto the limbs of his crossbow tight, dragging it toward it while it snapped its teeth in Daryl's face. Daryl's jaw tightened as he swung his crossbow around to loosen the corpse's grip. But it wouldn't let go.

Elena studied either of their movements as they struggled against one another. She couldn't attack. One miscalculated swing from her crowbar could put Daryl in the line of assault which would injure him and possibly give the opportunity for the walker to clamp its teeth on Daryl's wrist. Nonetheless she still held her crowbar high and tight, her heartbeat now pounding in her head.

She side stepped then, a quick idea entering her brain and she shoved her fingers in her mouth. She blew a loud pitch of a whistle, loud enough to disorient and grab the walker's attention. It worked. The walker turned its head and Elena saw Daryl's brief flash of movement. He unsheathed his knife and stabbed the back of the walker's head so far that the tip of the blade peeked out toward Elena.

When Daryl let go of his knife, the walker crumbled and slammed against the counter. The body rebounded as Elena heard its bones snap and it landed with a thud to the floor, a pool of blood forming underneath it.

It was quiet again, Elena and Daryl's harsh breathing the only thing heard within the shop. Elena returned her eyes on him and her brows furrowed with worry.

Daryl jumped over the counter before bending and pulling his knife from the corpse he had just killed. He wiped the blood on his pants and sheathed it. Then his ears perked.

Elena heard it too. "Daryl—"

Daryl quickly grabbed her wrist and pulled her with him. He hid low within one of the isles, Elena crouched beside him and he listened. More footsteps entered inside, most likely more walkers that had heard Elena's whistle and followed the sound.

"I'm sorry," Elena whispered so quietly that had she not been so close beside him he might not have heard.

Daryl only shook her head at her, thinking it irrelevant at this point. After all, her distraction helped him, if not saved his life.

Daryl couldn't see the new threat so he listened carefully at their dragging feet, the volume of it and what direction they led. Slowly, he moved, his grip still on Elena's wrist before he let go. He gazed down to her. Her chin was lifted, her expression intense while her attention held onto the moans of the walkers that staggered behind the shelves they hid behind. When her chin lowered, her eyes met his and he brought a finger to his lips, signalling for her to stay quiet. She nodded her head.

Slowly, Daryl positioned his crossbow between his legs and pulled back the string behind the latch. He paused for a moment and listened. He didn't hear any sudden movements, so he pulled a brand new arrow Elena had given him from his rucksack and set it into the flight grove. He lifted his weapon tight in his arms afterwards, now loaded and moved with bent knees to the end of the short isle. He peered behind cover.

Three walkers were in the shop, appearing to be looking for them. They hissed and groaned, tripping over the limbs of the walkers Elena and he had just killed. Daryl waited until they were far enough from the exit. He waved for Elena to come closer. Quietly, she reached behind him.

It was automatic when Daryl reached and grasped her wrist, the idea of being separated again invading his mind. He wanted her to be close, in arms reach so that if another walker caught sight of her he had the ability to pull her back away from the danger. However, without looking, his grip missed, holding tight her hand instead.

Elena's fingers wrapped around his and she squeezed, but when Daryl glanced back at her, she wasn't looking at him. There was subtle fear in her eyes, small but very much there. They hadn't dealt with this many walkers which seemed like a very long time ago that the threat of them was nearly forgotten. As slow as they were, when walkers travelled in packs, they were a deadly onslaught.

Daryl tugged on her hand gently, letting her know they needed to be on the move and he manoeuvred out of the isle. He kept himself low, his grip on both his crossbow and Elena tight. He pulled her out of the opened door, cold wind hitting his face. He narrowed his eyes, catching the sight of dark figures around. They were far, but heading toward the direction of the gun shop. Quickly, Daryl jogged away from the sight of them, all the while pulling Elena with him and he stopped at the side of the Dodge Ram, using the pickup's body as cover.

"There's a lot of them," Elena whispered. "Maybe a full herd."

Although her expression appeared panicked, her voice was calm.

Daryl peered across the passenger window. The walkers were sporadic. They didn't move in the marching of a herd, but there were enough of them to assemble as one. He then spotted something, across the street in big blue letters.

Daryl lowered back beside Elena. "Pharmacy's across the street."

"Is it worth it?" she asked, but her question was rhetorical.

"Gotta hide behind cover," he told her. "There's too many of 'em to take on."

Elena looked reluctant, but she peeked through the window and nodded her head slowly. "Okay."

"Stay close to me." His voice was hoarse when he said it and unrecognizable. Elena gazed at him, seemingly reluctant at his tone, as if there was a deeper meaning behind his words. If there was, Daryl was unsure of it himself.

Elena squeezed his hand again and let go, replacing her crowbar in her right palm. She held his gaze steadily. "I'll be right behind you."


	31. Chapter 31

**I'm sorry! I feel like I've been giving the same excuse for late updates, but I honestly have been so busy with time that writing this story has been pretty difficult for me. I am not losing interest by all means, trust me. I've been trying to spend any free time to write this as much as I can without rushing my writing and making it seem bland. I hope you guys understand, especially now, my summer is going to be cramped with so much things that the next update may come later also. Please be patient with me, and thank you for those that have waited for this chapter. I made it super long for you folks.**

**Anyway, on another note. Have you guys seen the season 4 trailer? Oh. My. God. Funny thing is, I already have a plot line for that season for Elena and Daryl, so I'm super excited. Which reminds me, I believe this story is very close to entering season 3, I just want to push these two a lot more closer than they already are. :)**

**Thank you new followers, continuing followers and reviewers. I love you all. Until the next update, read and enjoy!**

**Theme for this chap: _The Moment We Come Alive_ by RED**

**I take no credit for characters with an exception to my OCs.**

* * *

Daryl moved with the agility and the stealthiness of cat, keeping low behind any cover that was accessible—abandoned cars, dumpsters, signs. Elena followed his lead as quietly as she could. Watching Daryl, she could see how experienced he was in his motions, avoiding his step on anything that could cause noise. It was the experience of a hunter, sneaking closer to prey that had more advanced hearing and smell than he did. But it was not prey that they were hunting, in this occasion, _they_ were the prey.

Walkers were materializing from many orifices of the town buildings, a good portion heading toward the gun shop, possibly to follow their kind to whatever had caught their attention. Elena sat crouched behind a park bench. She had to shift the crowbar in her hands, the cold metal beginning to numb her fingers. And because her boots were well worn out, they were soaked and cold from the snow on the ground. Elena buried her face in the collar of her jacket, the wind beginning to water her eyes.

When Daryl grasped her arm, he gestured to the next cover, which was an overturn Ford truck. He allowed her to go first, in order to cause less attention with the two of them. Elena moved, cringing every time her heels grinded against the packed snow. She ignored the shuffling feet of the walkers that passed, tried to not let that stress her anymore than it already was. She kept her mind focused in shifting behind cover in order to get closer to the pharmacy.

When Elena reached behind the Ford, she looked around the corner to the pharmacy's entrance. It wasn't far off, but the entrance appeared to be closed. Was it locked? She hoped not.

Within a few seconds, Daryl was beside her.

"The door's closed," Elena whispered. "What if it's locked?"

"Only one way ta find out." Daryl peered behind cover, and then straightened. "I'mma check it out."

"Daryl—"

He didn't allow her to refuse. "I'll signal ya."

Elena sighed and relented. His blue eyes met hers for a second, as if giving her a look of reassurance. Daryl peered out of cover once again, his hands tight on both the foregrip and trigger of his crossbow. Elena's gaze shifted to him and to their surrounding area, making sure that there were no other walkers straggling along in their opened general area. They seemed to be in the clear; the only danger sought was beyond cover of the Ford truck.

When Daryl suddenly spurted forward, Elena replaced his position. She leaned her back against the side of the truck, poking her head out of cover to watch over Daryl as he made an advance toward the pharmacy.

He kept himself low with a watchful eye on the walkers that were stumbling along just barely feet away from him. Daryl ducked behind a garbage bin when one of them turned in his direction and he held his breath, waited and listened. When he didn't hear footsteps, his gazed overtop, seeing that the walker had turned back and moved on. Daryl glanced toward the overturned Ford Truck. He could see Elena's head poking through, watching him without hiding the concern that had settled in her eyes.

Daryl knew he was absorbing that concern, but not for himself. For her. Maybe she was safe there behind cover, but for how long? Daryl had to get to the pharmacy quick, get the door open so they could make it inside where it was safe. For the time being anyway.

Returning his eyes to the pharmacy's entrance, Daryl scanned the perimeter. Most walkers were far from reach, too distracted by their kind's movements heading to the gun shop that they barely took notice of anything else around them. Daryl positioned himself with his left hand on the cold sidewalk. The light sheet of snow numbed his fingers and he waited for the one single movement from the walker closest to him to make his cue. The walker took a step away and Daryl bolted into a run toward the pharmacy doors. He sheered on the wet snow trying to reach the handle, but he was able to quickly regain his footing.

He pushed against the door slowly, and to his relief it opened. However, a bell above the door also chimed. Daryl cussed under his breath, snapping his neck behind him to see if he alerted the enemy. None of the walkers had turned, still following their instinctive directions away from him. Exhaling a harsh breath, Daryl looked back toward Elena and blew out a short and quiet whistle.

He kept the door open with his boot, as he aimed ahead while Elena went as fast as she could toward him. When she was close enough, Daryl grabbed her, pulling her with him inside and slammed the door shut.

The pharmacy was as dark as the gun shop had been, but twice the size. Little light poured from the front window that thankfully was covered with advertisement posters and medical décor.

Daryl lowered his crossbow to the floor.

"Gimme a hand." He grabbed the end of book shelf that held an assortment of literature for diet and medical awareness's.

Elena dropped her crowbar and grabbed the other end and together they pushed the heavy shelf against the entrance.

"Gotta lay low for a bit," Daryl said as he picked up his crossbow and peered outside.

Elena stepped beside him. "How long?"

"'Til it's safe." He glanced over his shoulder then gestured toward her. "C'mon, gotta make sure this place is clear. Stay close."

* * *

Daryl gazed outside carefully through the window, staring down the roaming walkers out in the streets. Many of them looked a lot weaker than he remembered them being, falling often in the light sheet of snow, crumbling in the handicap of their decaying bones. Even so, there was many of them out there, too many to outrun, to many to stealthily sneak back to the Dodge Ram. Too many that Daryl didn't want to chance with Elena with him.

After they had cleared the pharmacy, which was conveniently vacant, Daryl had Elena search for the materials that was on the list given to her. It was mostly to keep her busy, to keep her from worrying about their predicament. The fear had been evident on her face in the gun shop, even more so with the pressure she had on his hand. Elena often enough kept a brave front, especially in dire circumstances, letting instinct lead her, but in reality she was as frightened as anyone else would be. And because of this, the urge to protect her was now a need above all else.

A part of him regretted that Elena had come with him on the run, not because he thought she was incapable of keeping a clear head, but because he was. What happened in the gun shop was prime example. Daryl jumped out of cover just to save her, didn't even think about putting himself at risk. What if a walker had swiped at him in that instant? What if one took a bite while his mind was too focused on Elena? What then? In the moment, he didn't think about that, his mind hadn't even considered his own safety whatsoever. All he thought about was _Elena is in danger_.

He wanted to be angry at her for letting herself be vulnerable there, in the open in plain view of the cannibalistic assholes. In the past, he might have been. But right now he was just thankful. Thankful that he was quick enough with his aim before the walker even touched her.

Now, they were stuck in the pharmacy for who knows how long. With the stragglers aimlessly scouring outside, Daryl couldn't guess when there would be a wide enough gap for them to escape. It could be several minutes to hours. There was no telling where walkers were concerned.

Daryl had ripped off the bell above the entrance, so when they did decide to escape, attention wouldn't be brought to them. They had been lucky the first time but Daryl wasn't pushing it. So far, they were safe in here. They barricaded the door; the front window was blocked with propaganda that from the outside they couldn't be seen. They were fine if they stayed inconspicuous.

Daryl straightened and exhaled a long breath. He stepped away from the window and glanced over his shoulder. Elena had been quiet for a long time. The pharmacy didn't have a big enough layout that Daryl wouldn't be able to hear her footsteps.

His legs began moving before he made the decision, worry clouding his mind once again. Hell, Elena wasn't weak and she definitely wasn't a liability, why did he worry about her so much?

Daryl moved along the small isles, his heart pumping faster at each one that was empty. His footsteps were moving faster, his mind going into a panic. Then he froze.

Looking across the next isle, he found Elena sitting still on the floor, her knees arched while she rubbed her shaky hands together. Her backpack was at her feet, opened and revealing the supply she had already found.

Daryl allowed himself to relax, scowling at the pace his heartbeat had been in and the stupid panic that entered his head. She was fine.

Slowly, he walked up to her, lowering his crossbow. Elena's shoulder tensed and she shot wide eyes toward him. Recognition flashed over her eyes and her shoulders slumped. She was still hardwired from the danger they had managed to run from.

"Ya alright?" he asked her quietly.

She nodded her head but her response was noncommittal. He knew she wasn't.

Elena began rubbing her hands again, her left hand wrapped underneath her right, her thumb massaging her right palm. Daryl narrowed his eyes momentarily before he bent beside her, lowering his crossbow to the floor and taking her hands in his. Both palms were red and irritated, blistered and chafed. Her right however was far worse. And judging by how cold they were, Daryl could only guess they were mildly frostbitten from having to hold the freezing medal of her crowbar outside.

"I need gloves," Elena whispered.

"Need new boots," Daryl remarked.

She glanced down to her boots that were eroded from month's worth of travels. She sighed then. Daryl reached for his red handkerchief from his back pocket and began wrapped the cloth around her right hand. When he finished tying it around, he lifted his eyes, realizing Elena had been staring at him the whole time.

"What you did in the gun shop…," she said, her voice so soft it was barely above a whisper.

Daryl opened his mouth to tell her she didn't need to thank him for that, but what she said next made him completely hesitate.

"Don't do that again."

Daryl furrowed his brow and let go of her. "What the hell ya talkin' 'bout?"

"Risking your life like you did," she explained.

"An' let ya get bit?" Daryl asked, his tone snarky.

"You put yourself in danger."

"I knew what the hell I was doin'."

Elena shook her head. "Please. I'm not trying to seem ungrateful, I just…," she trailed off.

Daryl was uncertain with what she was getting at. Mustering what little patience he had. Elena's eyes shifted before they slowly lifted to him. They were clouded with grief.

Back in the gun shop, Elena had an immediate flashback. The situation wasn't completely identical, and what had happened didn't occur, but the memory had returned to her nonetheless. It was the _thought_ of it. And allowing herself to think it over, while searching for the supplies on the list, Elena had to stop and grab her bearings, sitting on the floor pathetically, while she tried to keep her emotions at bay.

Toni had risked his life to save her. He stepped in front of her. Took a bullet for her. And she lost him because of it.

Elena gazed at Daryl steadily, seeing the memory of him when he jumped out of cover to save her and completely neglected the danger that had been barely a few feet in front of him.

_I could have lost you too_.

"I don't need to be a liability, Daryl. Not to you."

"You ain't."

Elena sighed and began rubbing her eyes. "You forget how dangerous they are…how fast they can be."

"We'll get outta here," Daryl said. "We'll be _fine_."

Elena met his eyes once again. His gaze was stern and strong and held so much certainty that she couldn't doubt his words. If anyone gave her a better chance at surviving in such a problematic situation such as this, it would be Daryl. Elena gazed back down at her hand, carefully and considerately wrapped in his handkerchief, and it reminded her of the time he had wrapped her wrist when she nicked it on broken glass.

Daryl then stood back on his feet, offering his left hand in heed of her damaged right one. When she took it, she remembered the comfort of his warm touch, just as identical as it had been in the gun shop.

He hoisted her up, making sure Elena was steady on her feet before he let her go. His gaze on her was soft, which wasn't a look he normally gave, but Elena could see that he was genuinely worried about her. And she felt something stir in herself as well.

* * *

Rick ran a shaky hand through his wet hair and exhaled an exasperated breath. He closed his eyes and leaned hard against the wall behind him.

He should have taken more time instead of brushing him off the way he did. Now, his son was in no condition to reason with.

At a time like this, Rick may have gone to Lori to talk to, to figure out what should be said to their son. Carl was upset with the two of them and support was needed, but he had yet to find the strength to return inside. Rick's mind was still riddled with the decision he had made making Elena go off with Daryl alone. It had been the first idea to pop in his head, considering Daryl and Elena had an air between them that worked so well in collaboration. They cared for one another, Rick knew, and that's why together they were the best duo to be sent out with him in absence. However, they were also the worst.

Maybe he was overly thinking through his decision and Elena and Daryl's relationship, but there was something about running into danger with your significant other that left little room for rational thought. Daryl had a good head on his shoulders and was well focused, but when he was with Elena…

There were instances that Rick had noticed the change in his usually attentive behaviour. First that came to mind was a while back, when Elena and Beth had been trapped in the Dodge pickup by the herd that had materialized from the forests. Daryl had jumped out to help and disregarded Rick's warning. Another instance was back when they had come across Elena's friend, Nathan McClane. Rick had been unsure then at what exactly was going on when Daryl had abruptly gone between the two when Elena was saying her goodbyes. He saw the tension though and the assembly of an altercation. Whatever was being said between the two, Rick knew it was build up toward a fight and he had almost stepped in. It would have broken the temporary truce they had with McClane and his men and possibly begin the shoot out that Rick wanted to avoid from the beginning.

Elena, too, had her moments of acting before thought.

Was it the best to decision to have her replace Rick on the run? A part of him wanted to say no. Having Glenn go might have been a better alternative. But it was too late now.

They had been gone for a few hours and Rick watched the skies, the light that was momentarily blocked from the clouds. Time was vital, and he hoped that Elena would take heed in his word that they pace themselves and return back before nightfall.

Rick sighed. If right now they were set to leave town, they'd make it in time. And he prayed that was the case. The clouds were getting darker and he feared the storm was going to worsen in the next hour or so.

Finally beginning to feel the cold effect his body, Rick decided it was time to return inside and find and talk to Carl. He entered through the back door, knowing that Carl was scouring through the units that were last left. He was alone. His boy didn't want to talk to anyone; he didn't want the company of anybody.

Rick found him throwing and kicking boxes out of a unit impatiently and tempered. He inhaled a long breath.

It had been a long time since Rick had to slow down and return to the role of being a father. He had been leader for so long that sometimes he forgot that Carl needed parental attention. And Lori couldn't handle that on her own.

"Carl," Rick called out and crossed his arms as if that gave him an authoritative profile.

The movement inside the unit ceased and Rick waited for his son to step out of it. But he didn't. Sighing, he stepped over the damaged boxes and materials, stepping toward the opened door.

Carl sat on his knees in the middle of the unit, his back facing him. For once the sheriff hat he had given him was off his head, hanging from the corner of a dismantled bed post. Carl's dark hair—given to him by his mother—was getting longer than Lori usually allowed. She'd always take the time to trim it, so his hair was clean cut and proper. Now such things were unimportant.

"Carl, I want to talk to you."

It was silent for a few seconds. Then blatantly ignoring him, his son continued to rummage through units belongings.

Rick's jaw tightened. "_Carl_."

He didn't raise his voice often to his son, but enough was enough. He needed to know his place and he needed to understand respect because at this point, Rick was taking the time to understand what had gotten into him today.

He heard him sigh before Carl paused and got back on his feet. He took a moment and turned to face his father. His expression was blank and he stared up at him.

"Why didn't you go?" Carl asked him quietly.

Rick was thoughtful for a moment before he answered. "Bein' your father comes first."

Carl's expression changed for a second, close to a sneer and Rick tried to not let that get to him. He hadn't been much of a father to him in the past days.

"You were upset with me for not allowin' you to come," Rick began slowly. "I want to know why."

Carl blinked and his eyes lowered. "You needed back up. We don't know what's out there."

"You're right. But I've done this before, Carl—"

"You _always_ do! You always leave!"

"I come back—"

"What if you don't!" Carl's hands at his sides balled into fists and his expression softened. "What if next time you don't come back? You told me that someday you were gonna die, I was…"

"Scared?"

Carl said nothing.

Rick exhaled a light breath and bent on his knee in front of his son. "There's no way I can control what happens, but believe me when I tell you there is nothin' I wouldn't do to come back to you and your mom."

"I could've come with you. Help watch your back."

Rick shook his head. "Someday, when I think you're ready." He smiled gently and lifted a hand to his head, ruffling his hair. "Right now I want you where I know you'll be safe. Your mom wants that too."

"Elena didn't…" Carl sighed and shuffled on his feet. "She didn't want Daryl to go either."

"Really now?" Although his voice seemed curious, Rick wasn't really surprised.

"Is that why you let her go with him?"

"I…" Rick furrowed his brow. Was that the real reason he chose her out of the others? He was unsure. He however remembered seeing a hesitation with Daryl when he explained that only the two of them will be going. Maybe sub-consciously Rick related to the separation between them for the hours Daryl and he would have been out. Maybe that was why Elena came at first thought to replace him.

"Do you think they'll be okay?" Carl asked him.

Rick found himself nodding. "I'm sure they are just fine. They'll be back before the sun goes down."

"Can I wait for them with you?"

A soft smiled curved his lips and Rick placed a firm hand on his son's shoulder. "Of course you can."

* * *

"What if we just make a run for it?"

Elena didn't realize she voiced the suggestion aloud until Daryl gave her a questionable look. She had been thinking of the idea for the last half hour they stood there watching the streets, waiting for the walkers to migrate elsewhere, but many of them lingered and stilled on the sidewalks and nearby stores.

"It's getting late, we can't wait for much longer…," Elena continued.

Daryl's jaw clenched and he averted his eyes back outside. "I don' like it."

"There aren't many other options. Look at them, they barely can walk on the snow and ice. We can outrun them."

He shook his head. "The hell we will. There's too many of 'em, ain't riskin' it. You ain't got traction on yer boots, neither."

Elena wanted to sigh. "I'll be okay. I'm fast, you know that."

Daryl was silent for a long moment and she exhaled lightly. Convincing him was going nowhere; it was that over protectiveness he had for her. He had become more forthright about it lately and although Elena respected his security for her, sometimes it was a burden and unnecessary. He couldn't protect her from everything. Maybe her boots were well worn out and weren't as great on the snow as they would have been months before, but it was worth the risk. Daryl was protecting her from the worst. If she so happened to slip and fall it could mean game over. If so, Elena would want him to keep going, no matter what.

"Did'ya run as a sport before?" Daryl suddenly asked her, breaking her out of her reverie.

It was a change of subject and yet an open door given to her to convince him that running out there was their best bet. "Not professionally. I did it as a hobby," she answered. "I did track in high school. It was just something I enjoyed." And thank God for that. If there was anything that was usefully transferred from her old life to this one, it was the ability to quickly run from danger if needed.

"I participated in races too, if there was one in Atlanta at the time."

"Win any?"

"Eighth place in a 5k run last year."

A mock grin touched the corner of his lips. "That ain't first."

"There was a hundred and thirty people running," she remarked and glanced at him. "I'd like to see you try."

Daryl exhaled a short laugh and Elena realized that she didn't often hear his laughter. And just as quickly he sobered, jerking his chin to the window. "If we're runnin' an' gunnin' I want ya in front of me. Got it?"

"Yeah."

He sighed and pulled away from the window. Elena could see his shoulders were tense, as if he was still unsure of their rash plan. He turned to her, reaching around to her back where he pulled her Glock 17 from her waistband. Daryl checked to see if it was loaded, both in the clip and in the chamber. He switched the safety off and handed it to her.

"Don' fire unless ya need to."

She nodded her head and he made his way to front door, pulling the shelf slightly back with a grunt. Crouching, he stepped partially outside, the side of his body holding the door open. He waved at her to come to his side and Elena crouched beside him.

"Straight to the truck," he said, pointing ahead. "I'll be right behind ya."

Elena looked straight outside, her eyes immediately counting off each cadaver out there, all sporadic in numbers. The gaps between were big enough to run while avoiding them at arm's reach but there wasn't a clear straight path. She had to dodge and manoeuvre around. She had to be quick and focused. And she had to pray that there was no hidden ice under the snow.

"Ready?"

Elena had been the one to ask the question when she returned her sight to Daryl. His eyes flashed before they narrowed. He met her eyes, giving her a distinguishing look. Then he gave a nod.

Elena jumped forward, out to the open, her boots crunching against the frozen snow, her Glock tight in hand. Her backpack bobbed against her back at each hard step, walkers craning their neck at her sudden appearance. A young dead woman reached for her and Elena jumped a step to the left and continued forward. She tried to glance back at Daryl to make sure he was following, but she was immediately scolded.

"Keep goin'!"

She strained her legs, pumping them as fast as she was able, her shaky gaze focused hard on the Dodge Ram that was thirty yards away.

Her eyes then shot to her right as she reached passed the carcass of a burnt car. A walker suddenly jumped from behind it, swiping its arms out toward her.

Elena ducked and stumbled on her balance at the quick movement. After a few awkward steps, she managed to regain her footing.

"Go! Go!" Daryl shouted.

By now, they had caught the attention of the many walkers out on the street. They snapped their necks toward their retreating figures, jumping in hasty straggled steps toward them. Their moans became hungered growls, alerting others of their kind of the fresh meat that was in sight.

Elena tried her best not to look around, tried her best to focus on getting to the pickup safely. Half her brain however was occupied with the thought of Daryl and whether he was still running behind her.

Her heart was pumping fiercely in her chest, filling her veins with adrenaline. She concentrated a rhythmic set of breathing as she ran to keep herself from slowing down. Then she felt a hard impact on her shoulder.

Elena jerked, her foot losing ground and her heel gliding. She slipped and threw her hands in front of her to break her fall.

"Elena!"

A growl sounded at her side when she landed on her knees and she only managed to catch a glimpse of blackened teeth when she instinctively rolled out of the way.

Daryl was on the walker she had collided into in a matter of seconds, stabbing the blade of his knife in a flash of motion.

"Daryl!" was all Elena could utter at the sight of two walkers stumbling too close behind him. Daryl only turned his head when Elena lifted her gun and pulled the trigger.

Her aim was shaky and wasn't on point, the bullet hitting straight against the shoulder of the first walker. At the distance, the impact was hard enough, knocking the corpse a few steps back. Daryl jerked at the sound and Elena fired again at the second corpse. The walker's jaw erupted, followed by the back of its head where a mist of blood spewed the air.

Managing to retrieve his knife out of the skull of the walker he had just killed, he rushed forward, wrapping his arm under hers around her torso and boosting her back on her feet.

"C'mon!" he shouted and shoved her back into a run.

The growls and hisses transpired behind them as the undead rose in alarm from the two gunshots that exploded in the area. All walkers were on them now, forcing their slow movements in brash advancements, their actions provoked with smoldering hunger.

Cold fear slithered up Elena's spine and she ran faster than she thought she ever pushed herself before. Daryl's footfalls behind her matched hers, urging her forward with meaningless encouragement to the truck.

Going as fast as she was, Elena slammed against the side of the pickup, unable to ease herself into a balanced stop on the slippery snow. Adrenaline had her ignoring the throb on her side and she fumbled for the passenger door handle.

"Get inside. _Now_," Daryl said beside her, his voice rough and urgent. He turned from her then, slamming the side of his crossbow and cracking the jaw of a dead man that had sauntered from around the hood.

Elena managed to throw the door open, grabbing the frame in order to jump in. Daryl grabbed her pistol from her grasp, pushing her inside and turned with an aimed gun toward the invading undead. Elena heard three gunshots ring out as she crawled to the driver seat and twisted the key in the ignition, roaring the Dodge's engine to life.

"Daryl!" she called out. "Let's _go!_"

He reversed his steps, still firing at the imposing dead, and then he pulled back, seating himself on the passenger seat all the while yelling at her to step on the gas.

Elena slammed her foot on the accelerator and the truck jerked, tires grinding hard and sliding on the snow beneath it before it burst forward. Struggling with the vibration of the steering wheel, she forced the truck back on the road. Walkers swarmed around, sliding bony hands against the windows and Elena plowed forcibly through them, knocking them away or under the truck. Blood splattered across the windshield.

Instinctively, she turned on the wipers, tightening her trembling hands on the steering wheel and veering away and around the horde of corpses.

It took several minutes before her heartbeat began to slow, giving her the opportunity to gulp a large intake of oxygen. The tightening in her chest loosened and she let go one hand off the steering wheel to relieve her backpack off each shoulder and throw it in the back.

Neither of them said anything for a long while when Elena drove the Dodge out of town, back into the one lane rural roads. She left the wipers on as snow began coming down, harsh in the wind.

The clouded skies were beginning to darken above them and Elena glanced at the clock. It was almost six.

_Shit_. How long were they in the pharmacy?

"We're not gonna make it before nightfall," Elena said, breaking the silence.

Daryl glanced outside through the window. "Jus' keep drivin'. We'll make it."

Elena leaned against the wheel and narrowed her eyes on the road. "I can barely see shit through the snow. It's really coming down."

Gladly, the Dodge had four-wheel drive, which was good on snow alone. But it was the ice she was worried about. Now it was getting darker, the temperature was lowering, and the roads were going to be far worse than when they drove in.

"Another storm…," Daryl whispered.

Elena lifted her foot only slightly on the accelerator, watching the needle on the speedometer as it lowered down ten miles. But it only lowered to five.

The truck lurched on the left side suddenly followed by a popping sound so deafening that Elena felt a blow of startlement against her chest. She tried to hit the brakes, but it was too late, the control of the truck was lost, the four wheel drive doing nothing to gain traction on the ice. The Dodge dropped downward on its left side and began to fishtail and she tried to regain back control, panic making her heart thud violently against her chest.

Daryl threw his arm in front of her, holding her back hard against her seat while the truck spun out of control. The tires squealed and grinding against snow and ice, making Elena dizzy as it turned nearly 360 degrees. Then it slowed to a stop.

Elena panted, unable to move and unaware that the vehicle was now at a standstill. She barely even heard Daryl's voice beside her.

"Elena," he was saying. "Let go of the wheel."

Her hands were numb that she didn't know how to return back the movement in her fingers. Daryl shifted beside her, managing to put the truck in park before he gently grasped her white knuckled hands. He pulled them from the steering wheel and they began to tremble and slowly Elena pulled them back.

"What…" She couldn't manage a sentence. Her head was pulsing and she couldn't focus.

Daryl slid back in his seat, reaching for the door. "Stay here."

"Wait—"

"Stay _inside_," he said, his voice booming with command. And a slight hint of apprehension.

Elena tightened her lips and he opened the door, taking both his crossbow and her pistol with him before slamming it shut behind him.

* * *

They should have been back by now.

Carol had been waiting outside since twilight, watching the front gates for any sign of their return. Now the sun was set and still there were no blinding headlights in the distance.

Carol tightened her coat around herself, burying her face in her scarf. The snow coming down was beginning to wet her hair, the wind blowing through causing a shiver to run down her spine.

"You should go back inside," Rick told her. "I'll wait for them."

But Carol shook her head. "Why aren't they back yet?"

"The storm could have delayed them," Hershel spoke softly. "They could be back any minute now."

Carol wanted to believe they would, she really did, but a looming dread was beginning to envelope her. What had happened? Rick confirmed that he told them they were not to spend any longer than was necessary in town. They had two stops only and they were to leave within the hour. And yet, they hadn't returned.

They are alright, she tried to tell herself. She tried, but repeating the words over and over in her head wasn't doing much to calm her nerves.

What if they ran into trouble? A herd of walkers? A gang of living people?

_God_. It could be anything.

Her fear was for them together. Daryl and Elena worked well together, sure, but there was only that split second, the unbidden moment where everything could go wrong. Carol had to close her eyes, had to try and control the beat of her own heart. Stop thinking such things, she told herself. They were both strong, fearless and adaptive, if anyone one could get back safely, it would be the two of them. Daryl wouldn't let anything happen to Elena, and the feeling was mutual for her.

"Hershel is right, the roads are bad and takin' their time now is the best thing they can do," Rick said. "It'll take them longer, but they'll be safe."

Carol found herself nodding her head.

"It's cold out there, do they have enough fuel to make it back?" she asked.

"T-Dog filled the tank, they have enough."

"If the weather gets too bad," Hershel began, "they may have to turn off the road, spend the night…"

"Out there?" Carol said in exasperation.

"They have food and blankets," Rick assured.

Carol said nothing. She had packed as much as they could spare of provisions for them, two days worth of it. But spending a night in that truck in a cold winter night? Could they really spare the fuel to keep the heater going all night? Were they really safe out there?

* * *

Elena waited impatiently, but mostly anxiously inside the pickup. It was completely dark and there was barely anything she could see out there besides the snow that was starting to build up on the windows. Daryl had her turn the lights off while he scouted outside, away from sight. She hated the idea, but he wouldn't allow her to join him.

It had been a flat tire that caused her to lose control of the truck. Whatever she had hit could have been anything, and by now buried under the falling snow that there was no point to look for it. The front tire on the left side of the truck was gashed open. They had a spare; however Daryl didn't like the idea of changing a flat now, while it was so dark. All that meant for Elena is that they'd have to wait until morning.

Daryl left her shortly after, saying something about staying in the truck not 'feelin' right' to him. He had given her back her Glock 17, telling her to lock the doors and stay tight until he got back.

That had been ten minutes ago.

"Where the hell is he?" Elena whispered to herself.

She was getting antsy, hoping to eventually see the bulb of his flashlight in the distance, but all she saw was black and white. They had escaped a horde of walkers only to fall victim in something as generic as a flat tire. Now there was no way they could return to Pearson Self-Storage tonight. Elena figured that staying in the truck for the night wouldn't be an incredibly terrible idea. Of course, they'd have to keep the pickup off and spare the gasoline, so the temperature in there was going to be unfavourably cold, but what other choice did they have?

Elena jumped nearly out of her skin at the moment something knocked her window, her senses heightened into overdrive and her arms swung swiftly aimed at her door, her gun tight in her hand.

"Relax! It's me."

She blew out a long breath and lowered her pistol into her lap, recognizing the muffled voice and the dark face behind the glass. Elena reached for the lock and unlocked it.

Daryl opened the door. "Grab yer things."

"What? Why?"

"Found a gas station up the road," he explained, using the key pad to unlock the back door to grab his rucksack.

"I don't understand. Why can't we just stay in the truck?"

"Out in the open?" Daryl quirked a brow. "Ain't safe enough. We ain't far from town, walkers could be headin' this way right now. Can't outrun them with a flat."

Elena sighed. He was absolutely right.

"We stay the night at the gas station, an' in the mornin' we'll fix the flat," he continued. "Grab what we need, leave the rest an' lock the doors."

Elena nodded her head, crawling to the backseat. She reached for the box Carol had packed with food and took enough to satisfy their hunger for the night. Picking up her backpack from the seat, she unzipped it none too gently. The supply she had found began spilled out, one box jumping and falling to the floor of the cab. Elena reached for it, and then froze.

She forgot about finding it in the pharmacy, forgot about the only good luck that had come out of this situation. What with the chaotic turn of events and their erratic escape, finding something they personally needed had been pushed to the back of her mind.

"Hurry up."

Elena jumped at Daryl's voice calling out behind her. She shoved the box in her pocket, deciding to wait out mentioning her discovery for now. She tugged her Glock back into her waistband, grabbed a flashlight and blankets, threw her bag over her shoulder and jumped out of the truck. She pulled out the keys she had in her coat pocket and locked the door after Daryl had grabbed what he needed.

"C'mon." Daryl gestured ahead with a jerk of his chin. "That way."

Elena tightened the blankets closer to herself, blocking the wind as she illuminated the flashlight in front of her, the circle of light casting over groves of Daryl's footprints in the snow. She then felt Daryl's hand on her back, gently pushing her faster through the snow and toward their shelter for the night.

The gas station was barely a mile down the road, secluded in a wide set of land of concrete before it met the forests. The wind whined behind them, causing the bare branches in the woods to creak and snap. Each noise only made Elena more nervous and irritated at the same time. Fear was still evident in her system, and that pissed her off to no end. Daryl was cool and collected, even though their trip into town had escalated to one testing situation to the next. She needed to follow his example and keep calm and level headed.

Even in the dark, Elena had caught sight of the silhouettes of a couple of bodies in the area, immobile and lifeless. She wondered if Daryl had been the one that killed them.

Daryl stepped forward in front, leading her around to the back of the building. Elena checked her surroundings while he nudged the back door opened with her crowbar, before pushing her inside.

The interior of the back room was completely engulfed in darkness. Elena flashed some light inside, toward the floors and walls, scanning for anything that would be a set warning. There was no blood, no evidence of struggle. Just normalcy.

Elena heard Daryl pull the door shut behind her, drawing something to barricade it from the outside. He then went ahead again, flashlight clamped between his teeth while he aimed his crossbow with precision. Elena followed close behind, but gave him enough space to pivot and turn while he took in every corner and crevice.

Daryl moved around the front counter, peering in each isle that was only partially lit from the limited light pouring through the windows. When he lowered his weapon, Elena took that as a sure sign that they were in the clear.

That hour, Daryl decided on taking first watch after they had settled their things to make the place as comfortable as possible. Elena ate what little her lack of appetite could take before she made the decision of turning in.

But that night, Elena couldn't sleep.

Her brain was moving a mile a minute, and the leftover adrenaline was still flowing through her veins. It didn't help either that she was in a foreign place that wasn't guaranteed secured.

Elena sat up, surrendering to her mind that had no intention of giving her peace. She rubbed her sore eyes and pulled the blanket off herself, before standing up. Quietly, she headed around the counter to where she could see Daryl's silhouette in one of the isles, illuminating his flashlight over the half empty shelves.

At the sound of her footsteps, Daryl glared the flashlight toward her and Elena pinched one eye shut.

"I can't sleep," she told him.

"Didn't think you would," he said gruffly and lowered the light.

She stepped closer toward him. "Anything useful here?"

"Jus' started lookin'." He casted the light back to where he was gazing. Nothing was there but a few bags of chips.

Elena crossed her arms and returned her back against the counter, lowering herself to the ground. She brought her knees against her chest and averted her eyes to the windows that were half enclosed with shelves and flyers.

"Did'ya eat?"

Lifting and returning her eyes to him, she nodded her head. "A little."

"Here."

Elena immediately lifted her hands at the sight of something being thrown to her. She turned it over in her hands and a grin curved her lips.

"Healthy choice."

Daryl didn't reply as she ripped opened the bag of Lays, walking up to her and taking a seat next to her. Elena offered him the bag, but he shook his head at the offer.

Silence flowed through the room then, the howling winds being heard outside and Elena watched the the aggression from the snowfall. She inhaled and tried not to worry about how bad the winter aftermath would be when they woke up the next morning.

Looking for a distraction, Elena averted her sights to her right, taking in Daryl's profile while he rested his crossbow against his stretched out leg, his other bent and his left arm rested over his knee. His head was leaned back against the counter, his eyes closed.

"What?"

Elena jumped slightly at his sudden question, and then shook her head. "Nothing. I just realized something…"

That seemed to perk his interest. He pulled his head back and turned his eyes to her. "What?" he asked again.

"You know about me, how I left Atlanta with Toni and my sister, and everything, but…you never told me how this started for you," she whispered and met his eyes. "How'd you end up with Rick and the others?"

Daryl looked away in that instant, away from the curiosity in her eyes. It had been a hell of a long time since Daryl thought about the past and what he had gone through to get where he was today. A hell of a long time. He didn't like to dwindle in the past often, he always liked to just move forward. Just keep going straight and the past won't matter anymore.

He was a different person then, when all of this began, when he joined the others in the quarry, back when he still had his brother. He hadn't given it much thought, however, but he'd completely changed. He acted like he didn't give a shit about the group, only helped protect them because he had no other place to go, and forced to make his own keep. Forced to make himself reliable to them.

_You're nothin' but a freak to them. Redneck trash. That's all you are._

"Daryl?"

He shook his head. "Happened when I was out huntin' with Buck, uncle Jess…my dad."

Daryl saw Elena shift at the mention of his father, her hand clench and unclench.

"Heard uncle Jess yellin' so I ran." He paused for a moment, the muscle in his jaw tightening. Daryl couldn't look Elena in the eye as he said this. He felt overly exposed all of a sudden.

"What did you see?" Elena asked softly.

"My dad," he answered. "Walkers got to 'im. Ripped 'im open."

_He got what was coming to him._

"They killed him?"

"He was still alive."

From the corner of his eye, he could see Elena widen her eyes, the light from outside reflecting a glaze over them.

"Had the gun in my hand. Had it aimed to his head…" Daryl exhaled, clenching tight his crossbow in his grip. Emotions were building up inside him; many Daryl hadn't felt in a long time. Anger, grief…

_Nothing can be done now except ease his suffering._

Daryl opened his mouth to say it; to tell her that he didn't have the strength to pull the trigger, but appearing weak to her suddenly stopped him from saying a word. He didn't like it, didn't like appearing vulnerable. Not to her. She relied on him.

"You couldn't do it…," she whispered, voicing his thoughts.

Daryl bowed his head. "No."

Even everything that asshole had put him through, the abuse the neglect, and Daryl couldn't even put a damn bullet in his head.

"He was still your father."

Daryl met her eyes and she held his gaze steadily. There was pain in her eyes, pain for him. He feared it would be pity, but all he saw was sympathy. She was justifying his actions, the inability to kill his father out of mercy. But there was a part of Daryl, the darker side of him that wondered that the reason he couldn't do it was because he _wanted_ to see him suffer. Could he really be that sadistic?

"Where was your brother? How'd you meet up with him?" Elena then asked, diverting the subject in consideration of the tender topic.

"Found 'im in Fontana. Idiot locked 'imself up on a roof. Had to take his thick ass down. After that, I kept hearin' info on choppers evacuatin' people. Even got in one at one point, but Merle pulled me out."

"Why?"

"Pilot was bit, Merle saw the bite."

"He saved your life."

_You know I got your back. Hell, I'm the only man you could ever count on._

Daryl could hear his brother's voice in his head; he could even remember that cocky, disregarding grin of his. Merle never gave a shit about anybody but himself. And yet, he still went out of his way to pull him out of that helicopter.

"After that," Daryl continued, "we headed to Atlanta, where'd they said there'd be refugee centre. We got gridlocked, stuck on the interstate for hours, 'til we saw the gunships fly by an' start droppin' napalm in the city."

Elena's eyes flashed and she frowned, but she didn't say anything. She didn't need to. He saw everything she was thinking that very second her expression changed. When the military aircrafts deployed the napalm charges into the streets of Atlanta, Elena lost the very place she had once called home.

"We set up camp in the mountains, a whole group of us."

"Yeah, T-Dog told me that much," she replied. "He also…he told me what happened to your brother."

Daryl sucked in a hoarse breath. There shouldn't have been a surprise there, he had never told her what had happened to Merle and it was apparent that she'd become curious about his brother's absence. Elena wasn't going to ask him in consideration that Merle's fate was a deep wounded event that Daryl wanted no part in discussing. It wasn't a forthcoming traumatic experience for him, but hell if he was ever going to forget it.

"Do you think he's still alive?"

Daryl glanced at her. That question had always been deep rooted in his head, ever since they left Atlanta. Was Merle still out there? But there was always that prideful voice in his head, that undeniably naive but certain voice that told him exactly what he had told Rick upon finding Merle's remains and evidence of his haphazard escape.

"Ain't nobody can kill Merle, but Merle," Daryl told her.

A small smile broke across her lips at his words. "Sorry I missed the pleasure of meeting him."

Daryl didn't mean to grunt in response, to practically grimace at the thought. But when Elena raised her brows at him, he knew it was too late to be inconspicuous. Elena meeting Merle was an occurrence that he wished would never happen. Why? Because he knew how his older brother operated. Upon introductions, he knew he would start throwing perverted and sexist inquires her way, leer at her as if she was a piece of rare meat. That alone was enough to send his ire aflame, but what was worse was Merle's leering eyes discovering that Daryl saw Elena as so much more than one of the last women on Earth. He saw her as a woman for_ him_. And only him.

"Have you ever thought of looking for him?"

Daryl met her eyes at the question and she gazed at him expectantly. Her eyes were big, curious and also worried. It was a question far deeper than she let on. Her expression was filled with anticipated abandonment, her lips tightened in a straight line and her shoulders stiff.

Daryl couldn't bring himself to answer her. His silence was all she needed to hear.

He always thought about looking for Merle. He always looked for an opportunity to do so. However, the group needed him and Daryl wasn't narcissistic enough to leave the others when he saw fit. Leaving to find his brother almost felt like a betrayal to everyone. To Rick. To Carol.

To Elena.

When he pulled his eyes away from her, Elena inhaled shakily. And the atmosphere seemed to grow tense.

"I ain't leavin' anytime soon," he said, without an ounce of hesitation.

She had to fight a sigh of relief and an overwhelming sensation that filled the pit of her stomach. There was no way Elena could blame him for wanting to search for his brother. He was his family. Had she lost Toni or Amelia, she might have felt the same way. Even so, the selfish thought of not wanting to lose him came forth either way. Maybe the option was there to go with him, if Daryl gave the offer, but could she really leave the others? She didn't know.

Elena didn't want to dwell in it and let his reassuring words ease her mind instead. Daryl often said things without the acknowledgement of how sweet and thoughtful they really were, and how much she honestly needed to hear them.

Leaning toward him, Elena aimed her lips to his cheek. But Daryl turned his head to her in the last minute, his lips catching hers in an awkward, clumsy kiss.

Daryl stiffened and in mere seconds Elena allowed the touch to evolve. She reposition her mouth on his, lifting her hand to cup the side of his face as they grew closer. Daryl's stiff shoulders loosened and suddenly he was moving with her, returning the kiss, his hands letting go of his crossbow to ease them to her. Their lips became heated then, firing up to equal intent.

Then he abruptly pulled away from her.

"We shouldn't…," Daryl managed to say.

Elena bowed her head. He was right, at a time like this, they really shouldn't. But her mind kept returning to what was in her pocket. She decided to pull it out then, deciding now was a good time to reveal what she knew they both had been looking for since the pregnancy scare.

"Found it in the pharmacy, but I didn't know how to bring it up." She lifted her eyes to him.

Daryl felt his whole body grow hot and his nostrils flared. His attention was intently on the box in her hand, a shiver of desperate longing raked down his spine.

Elena's face grew flustered. "I'm sorry, maybe this is a bad time—"

Daryl took her mouth quick in a forceful kiss that Elena jumped at the contact. His hands were on her, eager, hungry and deprived.

When Elena wrapped her arm around his neck, curving her body against his, there was little that Daryl could do to restrain himself. He found himself winding his arm around her legs, turning himself over so he was on her, planting her back flat against the counter behind her.

"Daryl," Elena whispered against his lips.

Daryl felt a jolt through him, hearing his name on her tongue causing a shiver to electrify his entire body. The sound of her voice, the meaning behind it. She needed him.

He took her mouth in a kiss that was everything he wanted, heavy and reciprocated with equal fervor from her.

Elena pulled him tighter into her, arching her legs against either of side of his waist. He heard her drop the box before her touch was completely on him.

Daryl's breathing was beginning to get husky, harsh. Should they be doing this? Right now, where they were?

Should they stop this until they were somewhere safer?

_What if this was the last chance they had?_

Daryl tensed suddenly at the thought, such a thought that he rarely ever had. The doubt of survival.

Elena pulled back slightly, her concerned eyes searching his. She didn't say anything, but her gaze questioned him with what's wrong. Her hands cupped his face, her fingers brushing away the hair on his forehead. She was always so gentle with him.

_Ain't nobody gonna care 'bout you except me, lil' brother. Ain't nobody ever will._

Screw you Merle, Daryl thought. His brother was wrong.

Elena did. She showed it, she said it. She wanted to be with him. And with the flash of arousal in her eyes, with the touch of patience, that very second he was sure she wanted exactly what he did. Whether it was wrong or not.

He took Elena off guard when Daryl smashed his lips against hers, quick, demanding and abiding. He felt her hands lower to his neck, down the collar of his shirt to the buttons of his leather vest. She unbuttoned and had it off him within a couple of seconds, also pushing his long sleeved denim shirt off his shoulders. Fingers slithered across the bare skin of his sleeveless arms, skimming across his exposed shoulders, his biceps, curving around his triceps. His muscles flexed and constricted at her soft touch, causing his hold on her to tighten. Her left leg winded around his back when she suddenly pushed her entire weight on him.

Daryl was instantly on his back, Elena straddling his waist and he was painfully reminded of his dream the other night. She lowered herself over him, shaping her body against his while lips trailed his jaw, his neck, his collarbone. Daryl swallowed then felt the cold air touch the skin on his chest. His hand shot to hers by instinct, ceasing them from unbuttoning the last three buttons of his shirt.

Her hands stilled and lifted her eyes to him.

"Let me," she said. "Please."

Daryl stared at her for a long time. Then he relented. He rested his head back and closed his eyes, uncurling his hands from her wrists. With a kiss against his chin, Elena continued and pulled the flaps of his shirt away from his torso. Daryl drew in a breath when he felt her wet lips on his hot skin. Each touch was a caress, moving along his torso along an intended path, each kiss on every one of his scars.

The touch was new, having never had someone pay attention to such marks on his body that made him both insecure and angry. But she moved against him with such care, taking in every inch of him as if she wanted everything, scars and all.

Elena trailed lower and Daryl was consciously aware how long it had been since he allowed his head to fall back and get encompassed in something intense and felt so damn good. It stopped the insecure thoughts that lingered, letting him enjoy Elena as she made him feel wanted that very second.

Her hands skimmed down his chest and stomach, where his abdominal muscles contracted. Her fingers moved to the belt of his pants, unbuckling them. She then unzipped his pants before her fingers diverted, lowering and sliding excruciating slow up his thighs. Involuntarily, Daryl's hips bucked.

It was started to get too much. Too good.

He grabbed Elena's arms, pulling her back up. He grasped the back up her head, bringing her down to a bruising kiss. He moved his fingers, untightening the band from her hair and letting her hair fall and sprawl across her shoulders, just how he liked it.

Elena's hands moved from him, unzipping and throwing off her jacket, leaving her in thick sweater. Daryl clenched the fabric in his fist and threw it over her head. His hands curled around her hips and he rolled them, settling back on top of her where he knew being in control he had better of a chance to hold in himself. Daryl devoured her mouth, his tongue claiming hers, long enough that they had to rip themselves from each other in order to breathe.

Elena inhaled a shaky breath, reaching behind herself in order to unclasp her bra while Daryl buried his face in her neck. He pulled her bra off her, his hands immediately over her skin. Elena sighed in contentment, ignoring the tremble of his fingers as he explored her. This was the first time they had the opportunity to completely take in and discover one another physically, from her lips on Daryl's scars, to his hands cupping and shaping her breasts.

Closing her eyes, Elena buried one hand in his hair, the other gripping tight behind the waistband of his pants. Her hips grinded against him, feeling the hard ridge in his pants in between her thighs and Daryl let out a low growl against her neck. She felt his teeth against her skin, biting down when she did it again. The sensation brought a shock of pleasure that immediately masked the pain. A moan escaped her lips and Daryl tensed against her.

His hands were hasty then, unbuttoning her pants in such a rush that she could see the muscles in his forearms contract and flex trying to pull them off her. She allowed him to discard the rest of her clothing and she reached for the box of condoms she had dropped, her hands shaking so much with anticipation that she gave up trying to open it properly, and ripped it apart, quickly grabbing one to take it out of the wrapper.

But when she offered to slide it on him, he immediately refused, taking the rubber from her hand. The muscle in his jaw clenched and Elena could see the strain in his posture as he applied it on. Then he grabbed her hips in a tight grip, pulling her to him as he thrusted into her. Elena let out a sharp gasp and Daryl slowed, resting his hands on either side of her head. He entered her slowly and deep until he was fully in her. She could hear him, breathing hard as if he had run a marathon.

It had been a while, that she assumed he was doing what he can to keep control, slowing down where he needed to. Elena gingerly wrapped her legs around his waist, sliding her hands over his broad shoulders and his lean back.

Daryl was pulsing, gritting his teeth hard. Hell, this was worse than the first time. Somehow this time just seemed too hard to bear. Maybe it's because they didn't need to rush it, they were alone. She was hot against him and stimulating that restraint was just something he didn't care to deal with anymore.

When he began to move his hips, Elena arched her back from the friction, making her involuntarily clench her pelvic muscles. Daryl groaned, his pace snapping with speed.

Elena moaned aloud, finally feeling the freedom of letting herself completely go. Her reactions made his hold on her tighten and he began moving in her harder.

Elena's nails bit into his skin and he flattened himself against her, thrusting himself in her while feeling the swell of her breasts against his chest. He buried his face into the crook of her neck again and tangled his right hand in her hair. Daryl couldn't hold it in, the groans that seemed to crawl their way up his throat, the sensitivity of his manhood inside her. It was so over the top, so mesmerizing that digging in his teeth into the skin of her neck just seemed like the only way to keep him from ending this too soon.

"_God_…," Elena whispered and winced.

For a second Daryl thought he hurt her, stilling his hips even though his body angrily protested with an almost painful throb. But the throb immediately turned into one of tortuous pleasure when she rocked against him.

"Don't stop," she pleaded.

Not an ounce of him wanted to refuse her plea.

He could feel the sweat trickling down his back; Elena's heated breath against his hair. Daryl lifted his head, taking in the expression on her face. Her eyes were pinched shut, her cheeks flushed and her lips parted as she heaved a straggled breath. Daryl then claimed her lips in a savage kiss.

Elena barely had enough concentration to return the contact. Her mind was so over worked and jumbled, focusing so severely in Daryl's thrusts, each one bringing her higher than the last. She was so close. The wave was building up in her, building and building, until she couldn't take it anymore.

It was Daryl's name that left her mouth when she ripped her lips from his, her body arching against him like a bow.

The image of her was something Daryl couldn't voice. Simply beautiful. It took everything in his power to hold the release from himself, determined to make her climax a second time before he finally let go. To give him that reassurance that he didn't need experience to make this woman writhe and moan. He continued his constant pace, the tightening in her loins making it that much harder. But going slow was the last thing on Daryl's mind. His breaths became hoarse the harder he moved in her, his hands clenching and unclenching her body, from her legs to her hips to her breasts. Everything about her was setting him over the edge.

Elena felt like she was crushing him with how tight her legs twisted around him, but she had no way of loosening the hold. Her body was sensitive, each touch from Daryl just more incredible than the last. Her toes were curled, her body aflame. She opened her eyes, watching at how Daryl moved against her, the flex in his gorgeous biceps and the veins that bulged in both his arms and neck. God, _he_ was incredible.

The second climax came to her in a blur that both exhaustion and bliss engulfed her body. Her moan came out in long sigh, every limb going numb and slack. Then Daryl's hips jerked unsteadily, before his spine went rigid and his lips tightened. He made a noise deep within his throat the moment his orgasm came and he collapsed and stilled against her.

The two of them laid like that for a long while, a sheet of sweat over their bodies, their breaths coming out in gasps.

A minute later, Daryl managed to roll off to her side as they both waited until their breathing settled along with the overly bearing sensation in their bodies.

All that sexual tension was gone, released and all that was left was a comfortable silence.

Elena stared up at the ceiling, listening to her heartbeat as it went back to its rhythmic normal pace. She watched Daryl from the corner of her eye, wondering to make a move to get closer. Daryl wasn't exactly the cuddling type, but she realized she had the ability to ease him into things that normally made him uncomfortable. However, before she could initiate the action, Daryl shifted beside her, sitting up and running his hands over his face and damp hair.

Elena narrowed her eyes then, the glare from outside catching his back in the light and what she saw made her entire stomach twist suddenly.

Long, thick scars decorated his skin, more severe looking than the ones across his chest and stomach. These in turn looked to be the permanent imprint of childhood whipping, with a belt, maybe worse. God, Elena didn't want to know.

Elena sat herself up, reaching her fingers to the damaged skin. Daryl straightened quickly at the touch and a violent shudder ran down his spine. His head twisted to look back at her.

Anger simmered within Elena so suddenly that she had to bite her tongue in order not to say anything. But at that very moment, there was every bad thing she wanted to call Daryl's father. Gliding her hand across his healed wounds, Daryl made a move to pull away, but she didn't allow him. She wrapped her arms tight around his waist, brushing her lips against the smaller scars on his left shoulder blade and nestled her cheek into his back as she embraced him.

Daryl stopped trying to evade her then, his body still and slouched. And there was finally what Elena had been waiting for, for a long time. Acceptance.

Daryl's words came to mind, the exact words he said when he revealed the origin of his scars that at the time she didn't quite understand. But now she finally understood his meaning because it was the exact same thought that entered her head.

His father got exactly what he deserved.


End file.
